Thursday, September 15, 2005

Call And Response

Karen (In Michigan) found this Letter To the Editor in her local paper, The Flint Journal:

After viewing the destruction from Hurricane Katrina, I was saddened and prayed for the victims. As I did, all I could do was wonder, "Was this a wake-up call from God?" New Orleans, with its Mardi Gras, voodoo and numerous other areas of wickedness, could only be compared to the biblical towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. And those towns were destroyed for their wickedness.

I truly believe God wants the hearts and minds of the people of this country and is using this and the tragic events of Sept. 11 to get people's attention.

What more will it take before this country wakes up and turns from its wickedness?


Russ Shourd

Flint


I have penned a response that can be used by anyone without attribution (change the name, obviously) to this and/or other LTE's along this same line of thinking:
As I read the letter from Russ Shourd posing the question about whether or not Hurricane Katrina was a wake-up call from God, I have to wonder whether or not Russ has actually thought that through. Is Mardis Gras (Exodus 32:1-6) more wicked than coveting (Exodus 20:17) - keeping up with the Joneses? Is voodoo (Deuteronomy 18:9-14) more wicked than equating the United States of America to The People of God (1 Peter 2:7-10)?

If God sent a wake-up call to New Orleans then what kind of wake-up call do you think is in store for the Church in America? I wonder if there is an American flag flying in Russ's church (Matthew 6:24) - rest assured that God has a wake-up call for that. I wonder how many of his church members support politicians whose policies ignore the hungry and thirsty, deprive the naked, and alienate the foreigner (Matthew 25:31-46) - God has a wake-up call for that. I wonder how many church members will find themselves before the the judgment seat of Christ saying, "Lord, Lord, did we not vote Republican in your name, and in your name drive out homosexuals and prevent many abortions?" just to hear Jesus say, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Wake up. There's a call coming in for you...
Feel free to use this if it's helpful to you.

6 comments:

  1. I prefer to think of it as God providing a way for Americans to get a glimpse of what's happening in Iraq.

    America's Hand in Iraq.
    God's Hand in the Gulf Coast.

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  2. Alas, we are not famous nor renound for our empathy. . . .

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  3. Thanks, Oscar. This is very helpful.

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  4. Oscar,

    Thanks for the really great letter. I hope there are some religious people who think they are doing the lord's work in supporting Bush who will wake up.

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  5. Thanks, Oscar!

    I just put up a new thread for Howard's appearance on CNN.

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  6. Great letter, Oscar. as I recall, the hypocrits have their reward; so, we don't have to worry about them too much, just about undoing their mistakes and redressing their injustices. And, that's quite enough to be going on with.

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