I Survived!

I survived Hurricane Milton! What was predicted to be a category 3 storm when it passed over my house turned out to be only a category 1. The strong winds left a mess in my yard, but my home never lost power and it was not damaged. This was not true for everyone, as many who live near me still do not have power, some lost their homes, and some were killed. I am thankful to God for sparing me and for family and friends who joined me in prayer.

This experience has caused me to ponder why I was saved and others were not. I believe in the power of prayer, but so do many who were not spared from Milton’s fury. Did I line up more prayer support than they did? I doubt it. I have many questions about prayer, but this is what I know: It was God’s idea to calm Milton’s winds but he wanted us to ask.

I have survived hurricanes, tornadoes, cancer, near collisions, and, probably, many other things of which I am unaware. However, one day not even a million fervent prayers will be able to preserve my physical life. This will not be because God failed to answer my prayer or because I have not prayed in faith, but because he hears my deeper desire to join him in glory.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:18-23 ESV)