"Let Katrina have a purifying effect"

 

By Randall Friesen
GATEWAY COVENANT CHURCH
Prince Albert Daily Herald

 

We watched helplessly as the events of the past week unfolded before our eyes. Watching as wind and water changed lives, and changed a nation.

 

The images trickled in after the storm grew and slowly we began to realize that this was much worse than first expected. Each day of the week brought greater death and blackness to the news.  We watched as a nation staggered beneath a blow, perhaps greater than it's ever experienced before. We saw her stumble blindly through the pain of grief and loss.

 

When loss happen personally there is a process of grieving that we go through. It is a time of pain and coming to terms with the grim realities of life and death. So too it happens for a nation.

 

Denial. "This cannot be happening. It's not that bad, really."  But our eyes tell us something different. They conflict with our assumptions on the normal rhythms of everyday life. We deny, we accept, we deny, we accept, moving all over the map.

 

Anger. "Where are the leaders? Why aren't they doing something?" We shout at the TV. We shake in rage as we see the pain before our eyes, helpless to save the dying. Another body floats past. We yell at the kids to be quiet. The rage infects our words and homes and conversations.

 

Bargaining. Maybe we haven't talked to God in a long while, maybe we haven't gone to church either, but we're going go this Sunday. Maybe it's to receive comfort, maybe it's because of this raw anger that has
come to live in our household. Whatever the reason, we go. And in going, a part of us hopes that God might bless this land again. That he might arrive and smile on us again, so that our lives and rhythms can return to normal, as quickly as possible.

 

Depression. A numbness sets in and anger plays just beneath the surface, waiting for an opportunity. A deep level of sadness descends like a black cloud as we trudge through our days, waiting for hope that is not coming.

 

And finally, acceptance. We begin to accept that this is the new reality. Anger and sadness begin to taper off, just a bit. In spite of our best efforts and desires, we can't change things back to what they were before the tragedy, we can only move forward. And so we do.

 

Some days we will find ourselves back in the depression or the anger, but that's to be expected. It is wise to remember that grief is a process we walk through. There will be good and bad times. That's just how it is.

 

What can we do?

 

Well, if you are the praying sort why not set aside a few moments just to call out to God. "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, we are all sinners" is a good place to start. Pray for life in that place of death. Pray for families to be reunited. Pray for the healing of the lives and homes and cities and states and nation. Pray for the leaders.

 

Give. Reach deeply with gratitude into your wallet and send some money. The local Salvation Army is taking donations which will go directly towards helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

 

Go. Consider going for a month or two with organizations such as the Mennonite Disaster Service who send in groups of people to help bring hope again, when all hope seems lost. But be prepared, it will change you.

 
The brokenness unfolding on our screens daily is enough of a tragedy. Let us not add to it by being unchanged by it all.

 

The name Katrina is from the German language, a variant of Katherine. It means Pure.

 

Rather than read anything more into it at this time, maybe it's enough for us to let this week have it's purifying effect on us. To be sober and grateful for all we have. To draw near to God, who promised to heal the land if we would turn away from our agenda, and turn towards his.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, we are all sinners.

 

 

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Randall Friesen pastors Gateway Covenant Church. He writes regularly at randallfriesen.com