USA (MNN) — While Hurricane Sandy's category 1 rating was
low compared to other storms to hit Florida and Louisiana in recent years, it has
created widespread devastation. According to reports, millions of people have
lost power, levees have been breached, homes have been devastated, subway
tunnels are flooded, and the financial districts were forced to close. The impact
of the storm won't be known for days, maybe even weeks.
Ron Hutchcraft with Ron Hutchcraft Ministries is in New
Jersey. One year ago, he was in Connecticut for a conference when the October
31st snow storm dumped two feet of snow on the region. This time, he's there to
welcome Hurricane Sandy.
Hutchcraft says this is truly an out-of-control moment. He
says one headline stuck out to him. "One word: 'Powerless.' The stories on the New York news are filled with the word 'rescue' because that's the only hope for a lot of people."
While physical rescue is the obvious need, Hutchcraft says
this has a far-reaching spiritual message. "We operate with the illusion
of control. When you think about it, God decides whether or not we take our next
breath. We'd like to think we're in control, but events like this are vivid
reminders that, ultimately, God is running things — He's God, and we are
not."
Prior to the storm, Hutchcraft says there were a lot of
things people HAD to do. "A storm changes your plans, and you have
absolutely no say. Here we are in this nail-biting presidential campaign, and
they've been pushed to the margins by a girl named 'Sandy.' Even the most
powerful people in the country have to change their plans when God decides that
plans are going to be changed."
According to Hutchcraft, storms are used by God. "A storm
is a wake-up call. We're talking now about a meteorological storm, but
there are medical storms, and there are marital storms, and personal storms.
Those, I think, are instruments in God's hands to literally blow us home into
God's arms and into a relationship with Him."
While some people claim a loving God wouldn't do this to
people, Hutchcraft says that's something people with finite minds would say;
but the eternal picture is obviously different.
Hutchcraft is in the area for speaking conferences, and he's asking you to pray that people will come
to know Christ as he speaks. Pray that he'll be clear in helping Christians
understand how to rescue people for eternity. Also pray for safety as they
travel throughout the eastern U.S.
If you'd like to see Ron's blog, click here.
