In the Exodus story, the Israelites were following Moses in the wilderness. The people were thirsty and complaining. Behind them was the only life they had ever known, ahead of them was an uncertain future in an unknown land. Then they asked this question: 'Is the Lord among us or not?? (Exodus 17:7)
How many times, I wonder, was that question asked as Katrina came ashore bringing death and devastation to so many. This would be an easy question for any hurricane survivor to ask who has lost loved ones, lost their home or their livelihood. Surely it was asked by families still searching for loved ones, by people who had to leave a beloved pet or precious stuffed animal, all of them wondering if the life they once knew would ever be the same.
It might also be an easy question for the rest of us to ask as we watched the horrible events unfold from a distant place wishing there was something we could do. It would be easy for all of us to feel hopeless during these dark days.
God had to remind Moses that he would be standing in front of him. If Moses would strike the rock water would come out so the people could drink.
That is the thrust of the story. God was standing right there in front of Moses. In these last weeks, God has been standing right there in front of us all. God took the form of a person lifting someone to safety from a roof top or floating a family to dry land in a boat. God has been there handing a child a teddy bear in a shelter or serving warm food and clean water to the
thirsty. God was there ? I saw God?s love in hundreds of acts of compassion.
Paul tells us to look not at our own interests but to the interests of others. God is at work in all of us (Phil: 2:13). I rejoice that we as a church can respond so quickly to help our brothers and sisters in need.
Working at the Baltimore-Washington Conference Center allows me, at times, to look through a window at the big picture. I have seen churches loading trucks with supplies, people leaving jobs to volunteer on work teams, congregations collecting money for UMCOR and the Bishop?s Initiative, children collecting stuffed animals and school backpacks and people praying for the lost, the bereaved, the sick and for workers who must face the devastation day after day.
Out of the deepest darkest moments comes light through the actions and prayers of people of faith. 'Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ.'
In 'The Message,' Philippians says if we 'have gotten anything at all out of Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life...be deep spirited friends.'
Christ asks us to forget ourselves and lend a helping hand. And that is what we have been doing and will continue to do in these coming months. God is standing in front of us leading us to help friends we have never met. Yes, we can answer, God is among us.
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