Acts of God

Comments at "The Crest"
Fargo-Moorhead Community Worship Event
Fargo Theatre--Saturday, April 4, 2009

”Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Have you noticed how insurance policies, laws, and newspaper accounts often call tornadoes, earthquakes and floods “acts of God?” Why do we so often hear this phrase “act of God” in the same breath as we hear of a natural disaster?

Doesn’t that amount to a huge “bum rap” for God? In these last weeks I’ve witnessed all sorts of other “acts of God”—and I bet you have, too!
· I’ve seen aching arms and tired muscles filling millions of sandbags. That’s an act of God.
· You’ve eaten bologna sandwiches, and pizza, and all sorts of other food, lovingly prepared by hands perhaps not strong enough to haul sandbags. That’s an act of God.
· We’ve observed governmental officials, relief agency workers, National Guard members, church folk and neighbors from all over…working 24/7 to save life and preserve property. That’s an act of God.

Dear friends: “acts of God” are all around us here in Fargo-Moorhead! Acts of God have drawn us here this afternoon. God is all over the place….and we’re counting on God to keep acting among us, in us, and through us in the weeks of cleanup and recovery yet to come.

Those of us who represent the Lutheran branch of the Christian family are here and will continue to be here through the arm of Lutheran Disaster Response--often the last church relief agency to leave the scene of a disaster. We will be here because God is here, acting among us.

Let ‘s pray: God, you are awesome. We see how amazing you are in forces of nature that take our breath away. But we also perceive your presence in acts of kindness, aching muscles, sandbags, bologna sandwiches, homes opened to evacuees, and the dedication of our leaders. Keep our eyes peeled, gracious God, to see you wherever and whenever you are among us, acting in us and through us to save your people and renew your whole creation. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.