Where was God?
by Mavis Treat

I am sure you have heard these words before.  This question has been asked by some every time there is a man-made or natural disaster.  It’s possible that even the Israelites asked this question when they had their backs to the Red Sea and saw the Egyptians advancing towards them.  During my talk with Pastor Paul when I was first joining Asbury I asked that question and I got a first class lecture on faith and trust in God.  I have not asked that question since.

When everything is going great no one questions where God is, however, recently this question was raised by numerous people after Hurricane Katrina.  How could God let this happen to us?  Why us, what did we do to deserve this?  Considering the disastrous effects of the hurricane, these were all good questions. 

Where was God:  God was everywhere.  They just had to look for him, but many there were only concerned with where am I going to get what I want to get through this to even take time to appreciate that even when things looked bad, God was there right in their midst.  However, when the people in the Super Dome in New Orleans were asked to make a list of what items they thought were the most important things they could be sent they said:  #1 - water,  #2 - food,  #3 - a Bible.

            God was everywhere.  That was evident in the hands of the pilots flying the helicopters doing rescue work.  That was evident in the strength of the men dropping down on ropes from the helicopters, time and time again, to rescue people from roof tops and bridges or wherever they may have been stranded.

            God was there in the arms and legs of many who clung desperately to trees, roof tops, or whatever they could find, giving them strength and courage until help came.

            God was there in the hearts of all the people across this country who gave money and supplies to help the people from the Gulf States.  God was in the hearts of each volunteer who gave their time to distribute much needed water and food.

            God was there with the millions of people who offered up prayers.

            God was there with the soldiers and rescue workers who had to make house to house searches to rescue the survivors or find those who had not survived.  You know God had to be with these people, because without him it would have been an impossible job.

            God was there with the people who went out in a small row boat after the hurricane searching for other survivors, many of whom they didn’t even know, to share with them what little they had.

            God was there when, although there was not church to worship in, the people of the Gulf Coast met in the rubble of their destroyed churches to worship.  The next time I get the urge to complain that the air is not really working good in church, I hope God will remind me of these people’s faith.

            You could go on and on, because there were so many places where God was, even if people didn’t realize it at the time.  God was there when a young teenager complained that she was devastated because she had lost everything that was important such as clothes, makeup, cd’s, and worst of all, her cell phone.  At this point, her mother hugged her and said yes, but God is so good, we are safe and we have each other.

God was there in the tears of an old couple in Mississippi who came back to find their home had been destroyed along with everything they owned, but who still stopped to hold hands and pray to thank God that they were safe and they still had each other.

            And finally, the best for last.  In the midst of all the chaos, God was there as babies were born and he is still there with the survivors giving them hope, strength, courage, and faith to go on.

            We saw the best and the worst after this disaster, and I thank God that the best far outnumbered the worst.  And so, in answer to the questions “Where was God?” I offer the last verse from “Footprints,”

            God, you said you would walk beside me all the way, but during the most troublesome times in my life there was only one set of footprints.  The Lord turned and looked at me, his eves filled with love and said, “My precious child I have never left you.  During your time of trials where you see only one set of footprints, that was when I was caring you.”

            Where was God?  He was where He always is, with each of us.  We just need to stop and look around and we will see his footprints.