Believe

The news shows total devastation in and around New Orleans, receiving more than two feet of water from 36 hours of constant rain and powerful winds. Hurricane Isaac is going to be another storm to be remembered, for sure.

I was running in my neighborhood yesterday and praying for the people of the Gulf, and at the same time noticing how incredibly dry the land is around the path I was on. I started asking God questions like, “Why are they getting too much and we are getting too little?” and, “Do you see the differences in the needs of your people?” Maybe this wasn’t really praying at this point, doubting and questioning God probably describes it better, but God knows me and can handle my humanity.

I was immediately reminded of one of my all-time favorite verses:

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11

What this says to me is that God uses every single drop of water, even 36 hours’ worth of it. It will not return void, or empty. He is not surprised by a slow moving storm, the consequences of another’s choices, or disease ravaging the body of the undeserving, nor is He wasting any drop of it. He will accomplish what He desires through it. Do we believe this? Do I live like I believe this is true?

Lord, I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Mark 9:24