USA (MNN) ― While Hurricane Sandy's category 1 rating was low compared to other storms to hit Florida and Louisiana in recent years, it has created widespread devastation. According to reports, millions of people have lost power, levees have been breached, homes have been devastated, subway tunnels are flooded, and the financial districts were forced to close. The impact of the storm won't be known for days, maybe even weeks.
Ron Hutchcraft with Ron Hutchcraft Ministries is in New Jersey. One year ago, he was in Connecticut for a conference when the October 31st snow storm dumped two feet of snow on the region. This time, he's there to welcome Hurricane Sandy.
Hutchcraft says this is truly an out-of-control moment. He says one headline stuck out to him. "One word: 'Powerless.' The stories on the New York news are filled with the word 'rescue' because that's the only hope for a lot of people."
While physical rescue is the obvious need, Hutchcraft says this has a far-reaching spiritual message. "We operate with the illusion of control. When you think about it, God decides whether or not we take our next breath. We'd like to think we're in control, but events like this are vivid reminders that, ultimately, God is running things -- He's God, and we are not."
Prior to the storm, Hutchcraft says there were a lot of things people HAD to do. "A storm changes your plans, and you have absolutely no say. Here we are in this nail-biting presidential campaign, and they've been pushed to the margins by a girl named 'Sandy.' Even the most powerful people in the country have to change their plans when God decides that plans are going to be changed."
According to Hutchcraft, storms are used by God. "A storm is a wake-up call. We're talking now about a meteorological storm, but there are medical storms, and there are marital storms, and personal storms. Those, I think, are instruments in God's hands to literally blow us home into God's arms and into a relationship with Him."
While some people claim a loving God wouldn't do this to people, Hutchcraft says that's something people with finite minds would say; but the eternal picture is obviously different.
Hutchcraft is in the area for speaking conferences, and he's asking you to pray that people will come to know Christ as he speaks. Pray that he'll be clear in helping Christians understand how to rescue people for eternity. Also pray for safety as they travel throughout the eastern U.S.
If you'd like to see Ron's blog, click here.
