Haiti

This is personal.

Haiti is personal.

Our absence from the scene does not imply its absence from our reality.

We are all just people.

We are all in this thing together.

There is always hope. [For those who know hope, and those who don't.]

Much has been lost.

And yet, hope remains.

Hope... guarantee... security... are not found in circumstances. Circumstances are temporary.

Hope remains.

Hope is found in the [person of Christ]. In the [reality of God]. On our [knees].

Because He is God and we are not. And because He is good. There are many things about the future that we do not know.

But we DO... we CAN... KNOW HIM.

What will you choose to stand on today? What you know... or what you don't?

Do you choose to dig your feet in sand that does not remain the same? Or on the ROCK who is constant, who is steady, who is true?

Do you feel like you can't help? You can.

We stand on common ground with the Haitian people. And we're all in this thing together.

And the common ground is Christ.

And so, pray for the people of Haiti. Pray for the workers bringing relief. Pray for the broken hearted. Pray for the sick. Pray for the builders. Pray for the eyes that will see. Pray for the arms that will hold. Pray for ALL to SEE the God... who sees them. As Hagar cried out in the desert as she, rejected and alone watched her only son dying cried out for water... was shown a well by God Himself. We today can sing a new song to the same God... and praise Him that HE IS THE GOD WHO SEES. We can know Him... because He loves us.

Pray on your knees with your children for the people of Haiti. Will you let them KNOW that GOD is our hope?! Will you train them to KNOW the hurts of others and to love... and will they learn where to turn?

What else can you do? Pray. And as you pray, as the Lord what offering He would use right where He has placed YOU. You are there for a reason. You can encourage others to pray, you can encourage others not to forget.

You can gather used toys with your children and sell them at a local consignment store... and send the money as a family to one of the organizations listed above.

You can take a family offering.

You can make baked goods and/or crafts with your children, and sell them to neighbors for Haiti relief.

You can look up pictures of the people of Haiti and pray for them specifically.

You can spend time digging in the Bible... to KNOW more about the God who is real, and who is in control. Have questions? Well, go and dig for the answers.

PRAISE THE LORD. Yes. Even now. Especially now.

Praise Him that no matter what happens, WE HAVE HOPE IN HIM!

Praise Him that He has more than proven His love over the ages, and when we can't trace His hand we CAN trust His heart.

Praise Him that there is no circumstance or doubt that is not outweighed, answered, and provided for by what we DO KNOW in the character of God.

Praise Him that HE SEES those that we do not.

Praise GOD that HE sees every tear that falls, every child alone, every persons needs.

And He loves.

And He acts on His love.

He does not sleep (Psalm 121).

He works ALL THINGS together for good, to those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.

PRAISE THE LORD!

And LIVE WHAT YOU KNOW.

KNOW. LIVE. SHARE.

The 5.2 Project

For a collection of links to donate, to view a sermon entitled "Why Would a God of Love Allow the Earthquake in Haiti" by, Michael Ots, and for more information about how to help, please visit www.the52project and click on the link on the homepage.