SURVIVORS PRAISE THE LORD
In the Bible Belt, Sunday is the day for going to church, even if all that is left of it is a pile of rubble.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...53359%2C00.html
I think this is a prime example of the saying that the church is not the building, it's the people. The Church is not bricks and mortar, but the fellowship of Children of God, meeting to be discipled and to worship. I also think it's great that even though a lot of these people have lost so much that they can still thank God and praise Him for their lives. A lot of people look at the situation and see nothing but bad, but Christians who are strong in their faith are thanking him for what they do have left.
Some of the best worship sessions I have ever had have been outside when everything seemed to be going wrong. Of course, it was on a different level than losing every possesion I have, but times were tough nonetheless. One of the most memorable experiences I had was a group of about forty of us out by a lake just having a time of prayer and worship. We weren't in the confines of a building, and we were out in God's creations. Sometimes it takes stripping away everything, whether it be emotionally or physically, to really appreciate what God has given us. We take so many things for granted, and sometimes God just has to slap us in the face. How many of us have thought about how lucky we are in the past couple weeks? I know for me, it just makes me stand in awe. Had Katrina turned even the slightest bit to the right, my whole life would have been uprooted. It really makes you appreciate what God has given us, and I think it is a wonderful testimony that these people who have lost everything are still praising God. In times of trouble people usually do one of two things:
1. They grow closer to God.
2. They shut him out and blame him.