It happened in one hour...
Natural disasters often strike so quickly that hardly anything can be saved - perhaps just our lives. Within minutes, our homes and possessions can be severely damaged or even lost - much of what we have worked so long for is gone.
Where then do we find a foothold, a hope - even when fear wants to plague us: When will the next catastrophe come?
I have experienced that in such sufferings, which break into our lives like torrents, a small prayer has the greatest impact:
God, my Father, I do not understand You, but I trust Your love.
Whoever prays like this, peace flows into his heart, because he lays his will at God's feet, even if he can no longer understand Him. But how do we come to bow so under the mighty hand of God? If we hold on to the fact that He is Love, only Love. Out of Love for us, in order to redeem us, He let His Son go into the deepest suffering, even to death on the cross. Out of Love for us, God leads us along difficult paths; through chastisements He wants to draw us to Himself and let us experience His grace precisely in emergency situations, so that we can say with the Psalmist:
Though my body and soul languish, yet, O God, thou art ever the consolation of my heart, and my portion. (Ps. 73:26)
Then suffering no longer has power over us. Satan, who wants to bring us into rebellion and incite us against God in such hours, must give way. We learn:
If we lose everything one is unlosable, God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!
Carrying Jesus in our hearts is the greatest treasure that no disaster can rob us of. If we have Him, we have everything; for He is able to save us from every distress or to help us in distress. If we believe this and trust in His love, we will experience His help, His love in suffering as never before, indeed often miraculous preservation.
© Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary e.V., Darmstadt
M. Basilea Schlink"In an hour it broke"
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"No fear, but the Fear of God".
Prayer during natural disasters
