As most of you know, Hurricane Matthew hit on October 7, 2016. I was without power for three days, some quite a bit longer. There was devastation along the coast, however, Jacksonville, while without power, overall remained unscathed.
When I mentioned this to a clerk at a local post office, he said it was because Jacksonville is a praying city. Proverbs 15:29 tells us The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. I was stunned somewhat by the suggestion. We have drive-by shootings, theft. All things big cities have to deal with. However, the more I drove around the city, the more I began to believe what the postal clerk said to be true.
Large trees fell all over, and while power lines were hit, very few homes were destroyed. Not to say that the rest of the coast deserved their devastation, because they didn’t. I just never thought of Jacksonville as a Christian community. Yet, when the storm was over, there were only a few stories about looters, yet in cities with similar issues, looting is out of control. We’re a million strong and stuck together helping our neighbors.
Jacksonvillittes have a reason to stand up proud and pat themselves on the back. We did well in keeping our cool during this storm. City leaders made sure everyone was informed and that the city was prepared before the hurricane hit.
Most importantly, we need to thank God. He sent the storm east instead of west, so it didn’t do a direct hit. God protected us. Again.
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Let us never forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He is our Father. He is accessible to all who will seek Him. – Gordon B. Hinkley, religious leader
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This could be a lesson for the rest of this country. It pays to be a praying city. Imagine if we were still a praying country. What a difference it would make. Maybe we’d have less violence, less hatred, and less anger toward one another. More people would work together instead of against each other.
It’s never too late to pray for your city or your country. God listens. Take my word for it. I, along with millions of others, survived Hurricane Matthew unscathed.
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer this week, please leave a comment. We’d be more than happy to pray for you. And if this post moved you in some way, please feel free to share it.
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