SOLICE
Bible Truths for Tragic Times
By Laura J. Bagby
CBN.com
CBN.com –
5 "The waves
of death surrounded me; the floods of destruction swept over me.
6 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me; death itself
stared me in the face. 7 But in my distress I cried
out to the LORD; yes, I called to my God for help. He heard me
from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears (2 Samuel 22:5-7,
NLT).
The above Scripture passage, a heartfelt cry of King David written
thousands of years ago, is also very telling of the experiences
of many of those recently rescued or soon to be rescued from the
jaws of Hurricane Katrina's wrath.
God does hear the cries of those who suffer in the aftermath
of this devastating Gulf storm. The Lord God is close to the brokenhearted,
to those crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). He is our refuge in
times of trouble (Psalm 59:16).
And He is answering the cry for help in part through the humanitarian
efforts of such organizations as Operation
Blessing, The Salvation Army, and the Red Cross, just to name
a few, as well as through government funds and military rescue
efforts.
In the meantime, as the rest of us stay glued to the television
set, transfixed at the images of horror that have transpired these
last couple of days and waiting to hear from loved ones, we must
not allow our hearts to faint to the point that we lose hope and
begin to question the goodness of God. We can become overwhelmed
when we dwell on tragedy, which is exactly why the Bible tells
us to set our minds on things above and not on earthly things
(Colossians 3:2).
When our hearts are troubled, we must seek the Lord. When we
give our anxious hearts to God instead of remaining paralyzed
by our fearful thoughts, we gain His peace. The Bible tells us
plainly in Philippians 4:6-7:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (NIV).
John 14:27 also notes the exchange of fear for peace. Jesus states:
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as
the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid" (NKJV).
These are the times to remember just who our God truly is, a
God who is there and a God who cares. So let us pause to consider
our Great King. Let's look on heavenly things for a moment to
calm our nerves.
WHO IS GOD IN THE MIDST OF TRAGEDY?
Our Comforter
- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in
all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those
who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves
are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NASB).
- Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her
waste places And her wilderness He will make like Eden,And her
desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be
found in her,Thanksgiving and sound of a melody (Isaiah 51:3,
NASB).
Our Deliverer
- But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;
he speaks to them in their affliction (Job 36:15, NIV).
- He is my loving ally and my fortress,
my tower of safety, my deliverer (Psalm 144:2a, NLT).
- Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from
the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like
shifting shadows (James 1:17, NIV).
Our Overcomer
- "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world" (John 16:33, NLT).
- "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the
world" (1 John 4:4, NASB).
Our Guide
- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not
on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him
and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6,
NIV).
Our Upholder
- "Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm
your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you
steady, keep a firm grip on you" (Isaiah 41:10, The Message).
Our Protector
- " Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that
overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and
will keep your foot from being snared" (Proverbs 3:25-26,
NIV).
- You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7, NIV).
Always with us
- He says he will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy
31:6,8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5).
The Unchanging One
- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews
13:8, NLT).
The Compassionate One
- But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow
to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15, NIV).
Isn't it good to know how great our God is! He is our Defender,
Deliverer, and Mighty God. Let us choose to trust in His goodness
in these troubled times.
The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever (Psalm 29:10, NIV).
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
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