In the 4th verse of Psalm 54 it reads, “Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.” The simplicity of this verse overwhelms my heart. This Psalm was penned out concerning the occasion when the men of Judah betrayed David to Saul. They did this twice, the first is recorded in 1 Samuel 23.19 and the second in 1 Samuel 26.1. While this is often used as an archetype to Judas betraying Jesus, today I want to discuss the portion that just deals with God being our helper.
Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 storm that entered the Texas coasts centered on Rockport in August 25, 2017. It has so far gone down in history as one the 2nd largest natural disaster in U.S. history. It has so far been estimated that the cost in damages in Texas and Louisiana alone is 180 billion. Hurricane Harvey is only topped by Hurricane Katrina from 2005 that caused an estimated 108-250 billion dollars in damage in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. It affected millions of people from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
On September 14, 2017 the Washington Post reported that Texas Officials put the Death Toll for Hurricane Harvey at 82. Hurricane Harvey made landfall three separate times across a three day period and caused over two feet of rain to fall in some areas in less than a 24 hour period. This broke National Record Rainfall levels for a Single Tropical Storm, by dropping an unprecedented 51.88 inches in Cedar Bayou, located in the Greater Houston Area. The total effect of Harvey on people’s lives will be felt for decades.
I, my neighbors, and my family and friends know the effect of this storm 1st hand. At around 1 am we awoke with water coming into the house. Within minutes my wife, oldest son, 2 dogs, a cat, and myself were all piled in my bed with water up to the windows. I remember later that morning posting on Facebook the lyric from a song along with a picture taken of the water from on top of my bed, “Even if you don’t… my hope is you alone… give me strength to say… it is well with my soul!” I will spare you the tale of how we made it out to dry land, with the exception of saying that I know of one of my neighbors who did not make it out alive, and that I was amazed at the provisions that the Lord made for retrieving us to safety.
Since we have begun the slow process of recovery. I can surely say that God is my helper. We have had such an outpouring of love and compassion towards us and our neighbors that I have been quite speechless in taking it all in. Even now as I recount how neighbors reached out to help neighbors in blow up mattresses, canoes, small boats and anything that would float. Strangers opened their homes, gave up their clothes, and food in support of those who needed it. Sure I lost everything I had. We had vehicles that were paid off years ago that were destroyed, my son had to move out, my home I just bought earlier this year is ruined. But through everything God has been my helper.
He has been faithful. He has provided us a place to sleep and rest. He had provided us food. He has provided us clothing. He has provided us with transportation. He has provided us with financial assistance as we have needed it. The relationship between me, my wife, and our Lord has all been strengthened. You see I, and my family have willingly submitted everything to God. There is such a release in knowing that we can trust Him to provide for all out future needs.
We know this because looking back over the past year, I can actually see where He has prepared us for this event. In teachings received throughout the year from our Pastor, to people that have been put into our lives, to the financial and physical healing He has performed in our family this past year. Even events where certain people were removed from our lives, that if they were still with us during the storm they might not have survived and thus relieved us from that burden of guilt.
So he has been faithful in our past. He has been faithful now in the provisions I shared with you already. So we can have confidence that He will remain to be faithful. He is our provider. Not only, that He will make it so that we can also assist others. We held church services from my home for all our neighbors. Yes all walls torn out and with free A/C and heating provided by, you guessed it, God himself… LOL. We look forward to seeing how God is going to move in our community, and how He is going to restore our lives. I’m not only confident in Him, I am excited! – Amen
The Way of Christ Ministries 