“The Lord is merciful and gracious;
he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.”
~Psalm 103:8 (NLT)~
Rapid Response Team Deploys to Flooded Missouri
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has deployed their crisis-trained chaplains in response to the recent floods across the nation’s midsection. A total of four chaplains are currently working with victims in the area of Piedmont, Missouri.
Chaplains are already on-site and praying with those who are going through this tragedy in their lives, says Jack Munday, director of the Rapid Response Team. Pain and despair increases as the flood waters rise. We want to bring hope and support into this unbearable situation.
Prayer
Chaplains have already spoken and prayed with nearly 75 people in this town of 2,000. They are in communication with local law enforcement and area pastors.
As in past disasters of this magnitude, RRT chaplains are working alongside Samaritans Purse, a disaster relief organization headed by Franklin Graham, who also heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. While Samaritans Purse volunteers meet the physical needs of the victims, the chaplains will address the emotional and spiritual needs brought about by the floods.
Meeting Needs
Often in these situations, the immediate need is physical: What do I do about my house? What about my possessions? says Munday. However, after the immediate physical trauma, the questions start to come: Why did this happen? The chaplains will be there to help them as they work through those questions.
This is the Billy Graham Rapid Response Teams third deployment of 2008 and its 22nd deployment overall. Earlier this year the chaplains deployed to Tennessee and Arkansas following the deadly tornadoes in the region and to Northern Illinois University following the Valentines Day shooting of several students.
Mrs. Berta Pittman is still at North Oaks. Diagnosis has been made and treatment started. Pray for her as she continues to improve.
Frank Williams
A retired manager of the Florida Boulevard Piccadilly Cafeteria and a proud Vietnam War veteran, he died Sunday, March 30, 2008, at his home in Baton Rouge. He was 65 and a native of Kentwood. Visiting at Magnolia Baptist Church, 960 E. Buchanan St., on Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. until religious service at 11 a.m., conducted by the Rev. J. Bertell Davis. Interment in Roselawn Cemetery.
EXPECTATIONS OF JESUS
After being with his blind date all evening, the man couldn’t take another minute with her. Earlier, he had secretly arranged to have a friend call him to the phone so he would have an excuse to leave if something like this happened.
When he returned to the table, he lowered his eyes, put on a grim expression and said, “I have some bad news. My grandfather just died.”
“Thank goodness,” his date replied. “If yours hadn’t, mine would have had to!”
I am so glad that I don’t have to deal with the “dating scene” — worrying about making a good first impression so that I can meet her expectations and trying to deal with the awkwardness of the situation if she’s doesn’t meet my expectations. That’s especially the problem with “blind dates”, something I managed to avoid altogether in my dating years. You get an image in your mind of what your date is going to be like (or what you hope she’s going to be like), and it often doesn’t take much to shatter that misconception. Granted, your date could possibly turn out to be better than you expected, but it seldom seems to work out that way.
That was a problem that Jesus faced when he came to this earth. He should have been greeted with open arms — after all, he was the long-awaited Messiah. The problem is that the Jews had expectations of what the Messiah would be like. For most of the Jews, that preconception involved an earthly king who would boot the Romans out of the land and assume control. In fact, they were quite prepared to make Jesus that king (John 6:15).
Even without that misconception, though, none of the Jews could imagine a Messiah hanging on a cross. So the cross became a “stumbling block” to the Jews and “foolishness” to the Greeks (I Cor. 1:23). Jesus didn’t meet their expectations and they hurried to find a way to end the relationship.
Philip Yancey deals with this topic in his book “The Jesus I Never Knew”. He speaks of his own misconceptions of Jesus at an early age: “I recalled the Sunday school image of Jesus that I grew up with: someone kind and reassuring, with no sharp edges at all — a Mister Rogers before the age of children’s television.” Certainly Jesus was kind and reassuring, but he was so much more than that — he was a man who was strong (physically and emotionally) and passionate.
What’s important is that we allow the Gospels to define who Jesus was, and not expect him to measure up to our preconceived ideas. I challenge you to read the Gospels in a fresh light. Remove all expectations and allow the Word of God to define and shape who Jesus was. I guarantee the Messiah will turn out to be better than you expected!
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Have a great day!
Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina
There not a new post of Aaron Hill this morning. I’ll post one when it is available.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Anna Lee
The Prayer Link 