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Ideas and Thoughts from our Bishop
“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.’”
Matthew 25:40
One Door Closed….
For the last month our nation has witnessed unimaginable suffering and misery of he people who were caught in the path of hurricane Katrina. All around us we have seen the horrible sights of people who have lost everything. It is so difficult for us to understand how it would feel to wake up one morning and everything you owned was gone! The people of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have lost loved ones, their homes, their jobs and their dignity. There is really no way for us to really comprehend what has taken place.
The images of people standing in lines haunt us. Seeing families without food, water and the bare necessities of life is hard to take. And to add to the pain, entire families were uprooted and separated, with many still not sure if their mothers, fathers, sisters or brothers are still alive.
The Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church lost the entire New Orleans District! Over eighty churches were damaged, and the same numbers of pastors were displaced. Can you imagine not having a church to go to or a congregation to shepherd? The Louisiana Conference has been turned upside down, trying to find housing, work, and salary/benefits for its ministers. The entire denomination is now engaged in reaching out to help all three states affected.
When you look at all that has happened, and you see firsthand the suffering and pain of this monumental disaster, one can’t help but ask: “Where is God in all of this?” I can’t tell you how many telephone calls I’ve had from people asking me why God would allow such a tragedy to take place. My answer to them is the same yesterday as it is today.
First of all, God doesn’t pick and choose what will or will not happen to us. There is a natural order of things that take place in this universe, and hurricanes, tornados, floods, and a host of other calamities fall in that category. However, this is not to say that God doesn’t respond when these events take place. God is where God has always been. God has not moved, nor, as the Psalmist says, “God does not slumber or sleep.” We are children of a God who loves us and is compassionate, and even though we aren’t immune from catastrophes, we are safe in the knowledge that God can bring something good out of tragedy.
I prefer to look at it as a door being closed. And over the years I have discovered that when one door is closed to us, God opens another door.
The Other Door Opened
Out of this misfortune I have seen something that I have never witnessed before. I have seen people reach out to total strangers and help them to get back on their feet. Yes, there have been those who have taken advantage of the situation, but the large majority represents people who have helped in tremendous ways. And of that number, no group has given more assistance than the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference!
From the moment that evacuees were sent to Oklahoma, our conference was there, giving aid and support. At Camp Gruber a host of our pastors and members were present, helping displaced people to find loved ones, and providing housing and transportation and other vital needs. Our OIMC representatives worked tirelessly, and it has given me a new appreciation for the people of this conference.
When I came to Oklahoma, I knew I had to learn a lot about the customs and ways of Native Americans, however, what I have learned through this calamity has made an impression on me that I will never forget. It’s as if God has opened a door of service, and OIMC has walked through it! You have reached out to total strangers, and your help has been felt from Oklahoma all the way to Alabama, where teams of volunteers recently returned from helping those beyond our state line. You, OIMC, have made me the proudest Bishop in the United Methodist Church, simply because of your compassion and love.
The Gospel of Matthew says that one day the King (God) will divide us as sheep and goats, and the righteous will say, “When did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or in prison?” And the King will answer, “”When you did it to one of the least of these My children!”
Thank you OIMC for all you have done! Indeed, you have stirred the gift of God that is within you, and when one door was closed, you stepped right into the door of opportunity and service!
God bless you all,
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