Tilling Rocky Soil on the Gulf Coast

Back in 1974 there was a huge earthquake in southern California. When Johnny Carson took the stage he said something like, "Before I start my monologue tonight I have an announcement. The 'God is dead rally scheduled' for tonight has been cancelled." People in foxholes tend not to reject images of the Almighty.

The soil in New Orleans has long been rocky. The murder rate there is ten times the national average. Sexual traffic, gambling, drugs and alcohol are the main stays of trade and tourism and it has been difficult to preach to the general public. Many other areas of the Gulf has traded its purity for gambling and illicit activities so it appears to be going down hill. However, nothing tills the soil like a catastrophe.

I come from southern Illinois where coal mining is done by stripping fifty or 100 feet of top soil to get to the vein of coal. It was originally thought by conversationists that such ripping up of the ground was a terrible blow to its future use. We now know better. When miners dig deeply and turn the soil over it seems to revitalize it and prepare it for growing good crops.

When we were ministering with the Salvation Army at Ground Zero four years ago, the hard nosed cops and fire fighters as well as the iron workers and truck drivers had a quiet faith in God and a strong thankfulness that we were there. Many thanked me with tears in their eyes and almost every one of them was profuse in thanks to the Salvation Army for offering spiritual as well as temporal help.

I often mention to audiences that of the thousands of people and hundreds of organizations that appeared at Ground Zero, not one represented The American Atheist Society or the Madeline Murray O'Hare Hatred of God Group. In fact, I do not remember any religious group other than Christians. It seems that every single volunteer religious organization was a representative of a Christian group. Southern Baptist Men, Operation Blessing (Pat Robertson's group) numerous churches, chaplains, Billy Graham, Campus Crusade, etc, etc, etc. The Salvation Army was the most prominent of the bunch.

In the tsunami and the current tragedy we are seeing the same pattern. Numerous Christian groups went to Asia and they are now rushing help the Gulf Coast. Jesse Jackson, an ordained minister, is not there giving needed assistance, he is offering support to Hugo Chavez in a political move. Al Sharpton is attacking the Gulf War and People for the American Way is lobbying against John Roberts. Where is their compassion? Where is the American Muslim Society? They are not helping "the broken hearted and setting the captives free."

I doubt that these facts will get much media attention and that is OK. God calls us to be faithful not famous or politically correct. Thank God that many believers are responding with love, compassion, prayers and action. This catastrophe has dug deeply into the soil of the old south but we who know Christ can respond with the fertilizer of God's mercy and then pray for the convicting move of the Holy Spirit.

Now is the time to send not only our prayers but also our financial resources and ask God to bring good from evil.