A Touch of God’s Grace – without end
Published on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 by Rita BennettRead More Worship
As a writer and president of a non-profit organization in Edmonds, I often find my schedule going into the early hours of the morning. On Wednesday, February 28, 2001, I was working until 5:00 am on my annual Teacher-to-Teacher newsletter. I had gotten a few paragraphs beyond the point where I mentioned earthquakes. What I had written was:
“While the problems with the Israelis and Palestinians continue to escalate, students of prophecy are studying their Bibles and checking to see where we possibly are on God’s timetable . . . Many prophetic books in the Bible foretell a final challenge for the Jews in their homeland before Christ (Messiah) comes. More earthquakes are shaking the world every few weeks . . . “
I did not realize that just six hours later, we were in for a 6.8 earthquake in Edmonds and the greater Seattle-Tacoma area. The timing of my newsletter seemed almost prophetic.
When the quake came, I was in bed trying to make up for my late night’s work and was awakened with the earth’s shudder at 10:54 am. I saw my hanging lamp swinging and felt like I was on board ship. Realizing it was an earthquake; I jumped out of bed to the floor and laid down face to the ground. I stuck my head and as much of me as I could under the bed! I’m rather small, but my bed is low and has some items stored under it.
As soon as the floor stopped shaking, I got up and headed for the kitchen to locate my emergency radio. I listened to the news for half an hour, learned no aftershocks were expected and went back to sleep in total peace.
Though there were two small aftershocks, we all know how fortunate it was that the quake was thirty miles deep so it did not do the horrendous damage it could have.
Ash Wednesday Service that Night
Later that night happened to be Ash Wednesday where ashes are placed on one’s forehead to remind us of what Genesis 3:19 says. “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (NKJV). Here God is correcting mankind for his woeful disobedience in what is known theologically as the Fall of man.
The following selections of scripture are normally read as the church begins its forty days of penitence. The Old Testament scripture read, Joel 2:1-2; 12-17, was significant. “Blow the trumpet (shofar) in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people . . .” (vs. 15-16 NKJV).
Today in 2010, Lent has begun again
Lent is a time of extended reflection of our lives, which helps to keep us grounded and aware of more important values. Some are:
• “Prayer (justice towards God),
• Fasting (justice towards self), and
• Almsgiving (justice towards neighbor)”
(Wikipedia.org).
Let’s look at almsgiving. Our earthquake in the Northwest has little comparison to the disastrous earthquake of Haiti on January 12, 2010. Ours was 6.8 and theirs was 7.0 on the Richter scale. The most fortunate difference is that ours was 30 miles deep!
I’m sure anyone reading this column has either sent a contribution to help Haiti, or has prayed for the people affected. These are part of the good works we might do at any time, but especially at times of disaster.
“People were digging through the rubble of leveled buildings with their hands Wednesday, looking for survivors or bodies, CNN’s Anderson Cooper reported from Port-au-Prince. Other CNN correspondents in Port-au-Prince and its suburbs reported whole blocks of collapsed buildings, with dozens of bodies piled in the streets.“
“Haiti’s Inter-ministry confirmed 110,000 people dead after the quake.” (CNN@2010).
God helps the living and the dead
You and I cannot help the dead, but only the living.
Prayer and fasting are important. Eating one less meal or a lighter meal daily would be a good way to save for the purpose of sending money through safe organizations such as: World Concern, The Red Cross, or your local church, synagogue, etc.
Our Creator is the only one who can help the dead, as everyone will experience resurrection some day (2 Timothy 4:1). He is the just and righteous King.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling” (Psalms 46:1-3 NIV).
My Friends, have faith, fear not, practice justice …
(Excerpts taken from “Our Earthquake . . . and a Touch of Grace,” March 15, 2001, (EdmondsBeacon.com).
“While the problems with the Israelis and Palestinians continue to escalate, students of prophecy are studying their Bibles and checking to see where we possibly are on God’s timetable . . . Many prophetic books in the Bible foretell a final challenge for the Jews in their homeland before Christ (Messiah) comes. More earthquakes are shaking the world every few weeks . . . “
I did not realize that just six hours later, we were in for a 6.8 earthquake in Edmonds and the greater Seattle-Tacoma area. The timing of my newsletter seemed almost prophetic.
When the quake came, I was in bed trying to make up for my late night’s work and was awakened with the earth’s shudder at 10:54 am. I saw my hanging lamp swinging and felt like I was on board ship. Realizing it was an earthquake; I jumped out of bed to the floor and laid down face to the ground. I stuck my head and as much of me as I could under the bed! I’m rather small, but my bed is low and has some items stored under it.
As soon as the floor stopped shaking, I got up and headed for the kitchen to locate my emergency radio. I listened to the news for half an hour, learned no aftershocks were expected and went back to sleep in total peace.
Though there were two small aftershocks, we all know how fortunate it was that the quake was thirty miles deep so it did not do the horrendous damage it could have.
Ash Wednesday Service that Night
Later that night happened to be Ash Wednesday where ashes are placed on one’s forehead to remind us of what Genesis 3:19 says. “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (NKJV). Here God is correcting mankind for his woeful disobedience in what is known theologically as the Fall of man.
The following selections of scripture are normally read as the church begins its forty days of penitence. The Old Testament scripture read, Joel 2:1-2; 12-17, was significant. “Blow the trumpet (shofar) in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people . . .” (vs. 15-16 NKJV).
Today in 2010, Lent has begun again
Lent is a time of extended reflection of our lives, which helps to keep us grounded and aware of more important values. Some are:
• “Prayer (justice towards God),
• Fasting (justice towards self), and
• Almsgiving (justice towards neighbor)”
(Wikipedia.org).
Let’s look at almsgiving. Our earthquake in the Northwest has little comparison to the disastrous earthquake of Haiti on January 12, 2010. Ours was 6.8 and theirs was 7.0 on the Richter scale. The most fortunate difference is that ours was 30 miles deep!
I’m sure anyone reading this column has either sent a contribution to help Haiti, or has prayed for the people affected. These are part of the good works we might do at any time, but especially at times of disaster.
“People were digging through the rubble of leveled buildings with their hands Wednesday, looking for survivors or bodies, CNN’s Anderson Cooper reported from Port-au-Prince. Other CNN correspondents in Port-au-Prince and its suburbs reported whole blocks of collapsed buildings, with dozens of bodies piled in the streets.“
“Haiti’s Inter-ministry confirmed 110,000 people dead after the quake.” (CNN@2010).
God helps the living and the dead
You and I cannot help the dead, but only the living.
Prayer and fasting are important. Eating one less meal or a lighter meal daily would be a good way to save for the purpose of sending money through safe organizations such as: World Concern, The Red Cross, or your local church, synagogue, etc.
Our Creator is the only one who can help the dead, as everyone will experience resurrection some day (2 Timothy 4:1). He is the just and righteous King.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling” (Psalms 46:1-3 NIV).
My Friends, have faith, fear not, practice justice …
(Excerpts taken from “Our Earthquake . . . and a Touch of Grace,” March 15, 2001, (EdmondsBeacon.com).