I grew up in central Georgia about 10, 000 years ago. OK, so I'm not quite that old. I was a member of Sisters Baptist Church (SBC) in Sandersville. I went off to college in 1974. Just after I left, the main sanctuary building was struck by lightning and it burned down. All that was left was the classroom building. I came home from college and drove over to the church site, and it shocked me to see the church devastated by fire. It was a heart-breaking sight. I thought about all the memories (sights, sounds, and feelings) I had experienced in that building including experiencing God in a personal way, and seeing people express their faith in testimonies and baptisms. I thought about all the beautiful music and passionate sermons I had heard there over the years. I thought about how the name of Jesus Christ was exalted and praised in that building for many decades. I shed a few tears thinking about all of these things. It's all over..right?
After a few years of stuggles and trials, SBC rebuilt their sanctuary. Today, SBC gathers for corporate worship in a larger, newer, and improved building. You see, God heard the cries and pleas from this body of believers. He cared deeply for His children, and in the midst of their loss, He comforted them and then gave them the spirit of cooperation to rebuild; a spirit of unity that they would have never experienced if this traumatic event had not taken place. They pulled together and rebuilt this house of worship. Thanks be to God.
This past week, I heard the voice of the Lord speak to me while I was out walking around a nearby lake. He said to me,"I want to show you something, George". OK, I said, and got into my truck. I headed south toward Griffin and turned down a few country roads. The thought entered my mind to go by a little country church that, I remembered, had burned down last winter. I drove over the hill just prior to where New Salem Baptist Church (NSBC) was. As I topped the hill, I was in immediate shock. I saw that there was nothing left of that pretty little church that used to be sitting there along that country road. It was gone. I knew what it must have been like, for the members of this church to experience this type of loss, for I had gone through this myself. I thought about the shock and disbelief they probably experienced in watching their old church go up in flames. It's all over..right?
But, then I looked across the road and saw something I was not expecting...a banner erected between two posts. I took a picture of it (see above). On this banner was a message. What was this message? Was it sad, was it despair, was it a lamentation or memorial for what used to be? No. It was a message of hope. It was a message of expectation. It was a declaration by the church that the building may be gone, but we are still alive and well. Beyond that, I was impressed by how God is already making provisions for their new church. On their church website, they describe that they have already been given a huge amount of land to rebuild on. Additionally, if you read their news from their church website, you will see how this part of the body of Christ is growing closer to God through this "tragedy". He is sustaining them with His amazing grace.
I am reminded of a great little story that has been told by Billy Graham and other ministers over the years. Once upon a time, there was a man stranded on an island. He had prayed for years for someone to rescue him. All that he owned was in a small thatched-roofed shack. He went fishing one evening and a storm came up. Lightning struck the man's shack and it, and all he owned was burned to a cinder. When he returned from fishing, he saw the disaster and fell on his face on the beach and cried, "Why O God did this happen, why?! He later fell asleep. It's all over..right?
He was awakened in the morning by a ships horn. He looked up and saw a ship coming, and in a small boat, came men on their way to rescue him. When they arrived, the man hugged them and cried tears of joy. He asked the men how they found him. They said, "Well, if it wasn't for your signal fire that you started last night, we would not have known you were here".
You see, just like these two churches (and the man on the island) discovered, God can turn tragedy into triumph, ugliness into beauty, and horror into joy (i.e. crucifixion into resurrection). But, why does He allow these tragedies and not just prevent them, you ask? A simple illustration may shed some light on this. When men and women go into combat, they are thrown into a realm of anguish, horror, and destruction. They become aware just how important it is to rely on each other and help each other, in order to get through the situation. When it is over, a bond and relationship is created between the soldiers that many times will be life long. You read stories all the time about warriors who became soul mates while under intensive combat situations. I think God chooses to go through life's struggles with us, and in so doing, strengthens the bond with us. The bond is stronger than would exist if He had simply removed us from the trials. One thing is sure, to the followers of Jesus Christ, all these things which we see and understand only through a dim glass now, we will see clearly, when we see him. Until then, have faith and even if your "building burns down", remember, God loves you very, very much and even though weeping may endure for the night, joy comes in the morning. So remember, it's not over.. until He says it's over.
Have a blessed day,
George
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