A God of Mercy and Love. A God who Saves.

I woke up today because of a phonecall from my mom.  She informed me that they have moved temporarily from our house to my Ninong Ed's house which is a two-storey house with attic.  She said that there were houses near our house within the same subdivision that were flooded again.  They chose to take precautionary measures just in case the rains would continue and the flood waters would rise again.

This has been the scenario in San Mateo, Marikina, many parts of Metro Manila, and nearby provinces in the past days due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by a low pressure area. 

Floods, evacuation and relief operations had been the norm these past days in many areas in Luzon.

It's a very sad scene.  Many individuals and families were affected and continue to suffer, to be inconvenienced, to live on the edge because of the threat of floods brought about by strong rains.

I had been monitoring the news these past days and I experience mixed emotions as I read news online and as I watch from the tv. 

Our country has already suffered from many weather-related disasters in years.  It's sad that until now no long term solutions are in place to address these problems that repeatedly bring disasters every year.  I pray for more government leaders who will choose to truly serve our nation's interest and that of our countrymen; so that these problems and the damages to lives and property would be minimized or prevented during bad weathers.  I pray that those in positions of authority, influence and power would choose to go beyond giving short term help or solutions, would choose to be selfless and make sacrifices for the people they promised to help and serve.  May God move their hearts during this time to do their best within their capacity to be God's hands and feet to their countrymen and not use these difficult times to advance ther personal interests.

Though it pains me to watch many of our countrymen suffer and experience danger, I was glad to hear and see that these disasters continue to bring out the good in many, Filipinos and foreigners alike who live in the Philippines and those who learn about what's happening in the news.  Many relief and rescue operations are being organized and done in different parts of the country not just by those in government but also by other groups.  I hope and pray that we will not grow tired helping every time we see a need and an opportunity to help; and that those who are in the receiving end, who suffer and are affected by calamities/disasters, would continue to be resilient during times of crisis.  I pray that situations like this would bring us together as a nation and as children of God.

May God be our anchor in the storms of our lives as individuals and as a nation.  May He be our strength and our hope.  May He be our protector and our strong fortress.  May He shepherd us.



Photo source here.



 

Many had been asking as these developments unfolded whether God had a hand in causing these rains to happen and if this is happening because of what happened last Monday in Congress as Congressmen voted to stop the debate on the RH Bill.  Well, that's not surprising because of the timing.  God made us thinking or rational beings, and I believe that it's normal and alright to ask.  Sometimes, God uses those times when we are searching and groping for answers to draw us closer to Himself. 

What do I think about all these?  This is just my opinion  and I could be wrong.  I think that these floods and disasters are a result of the abuses in our environment (like dumping of garbage in bodies of water for example) and the wrong done by those in authority either by allowing people to build businesses and villages or by building homes in areas where the waters are most likely to flow.  I do not believe that God caused these disasters to happen to our country and that He likes to see our countrymen suffering because of them.  But I also think that He ALLOWED it to happen at this time to communicate a message to us.  He might be teaching us that life is valuable and sacred.  He might be teaching us that something good can come out of bad situations.  He might be teaching us that although we experience many trials in life, we can overcome our hurdles with His grace and with the help of each other.  He might be teaching us that in the face of hardships, the good and noble and pure in us can surface to help turn things around.  He might be warning us that we need to change our ways.  He might be telling us to redirect our steps.  he might be reminding us that above all, He is in control.  He might be teaching us that miracles are possible even in the face of death or impossible situations when we choose to put our trust and faith in Him.  God can speak different messages to us through our similar or shared experiences.  Each one of us though should take time to ponder God's personal message to us as we face certain choices, situations and crossroads in our lives.  May the Holy Spirit enlighten and guide each of us.

Most importantly, I believe that God our Father is a God of MERCY and LOVE.  I believe that He allowed these bad things to happen for a reason and that He is not wasting our tears or energies.  I believe that our God is a God who values LIFE and that He does not delight that these lives end through calamities or disasters.  He has manifested His mercy, love, value for human lives and souls in many mysterious ways from times past to this present day.  He has manifested it through His Son, Jesus, who though innocent, He allowed to suffer to save us from our sins to save us from eternal damnation.  I believe that our God is a God who SAVES us not only from those that can harm our bodies but ultimately from those that can harm our souls. 

 

I can say this with conviction because I have experienced His mighty hand at work, delivering me and those I love, from many challenges and storms (literally during the Typhoon Ondoy and figuratively) in the past.  Through it all, I have known God to be my strong fortress, my protector, my deliverer. He has been the embrace I constantly run to in times of trouble.  He has been my strength, peace and hope when things get difficult. 

 

This is what I pray for at this time for my countrymen.  May this God of mercy, love and life hold us close to His heart.