The day that a major hurricane was making its way across central Florida, I left Jacksonville and headed north to Ohio. I wasn't exactly evacuating. The people who had done so had intelligently done so quite earlier than that. No, I was headed to my son's home to help them out as my daughter-in-law was coming home from the hospital after surgery. They have four children, the youngest a very busy three year old boy. I wasn't fleeing Milton, and gratefully being from the northeast corner of the state, we were sparred the worst of the storm.
As I drove north, however, on I-75 through Georgia, I encountered a steady flow of traffic heading south. My side of the interstate was wide open. I watched the traffic heading to my home state of Florida. Convoys of power trucks heading south prepared to work to get power restored to the millions that would be in the dark in the upcoming hours. I also saw temporary housing containers being hauled. I was in awe as I saw relief efforts flowing south so quickly.
Many of them, I know, had traveled north just days before in response to Helene. Now they were making the return trip to bring restoration back home. I couldn't help but reflect on all that had transpired over the past week or so. Images I had seen, stories I had read, interviews I listened to, all came back as I drove. Now I was witnessing the rapid response first hand.
The last few days, being a small assistance here in the home of my family, I've witnessed a similar response to people in need. When my kids found themselves in an emergency medical situation, their loved ones and church family responded in like manner. Mom and Dad hanging out in the E.R. and then being in the hospital for four and a half days, and two surgical procedures later, family swooped in to care for the four kids. Church staff and members have provided meals non-stop since she came home. A virtual conduit of love and care.
I've watched her healing process some as well. See, God created our body to heal itself. The blood flows to an injured body part to carry nutrients, oxygen and healing to an injury. Do some investigation sometime on why we have swelling around an injury, it's a fascinating response God designed. Remember the line from the old hymn, 'there's healing power in the blood'? That's physical as well as spiritual.
As I watched the steady stream of vehicles flowing south, I thought of blood flowing to an injured body part. Our country has been injured. We responded by sending healing power in a physical manner.
Something else happens. When my son posted an update on his social media page, the responses came in. Quickly. Care, concern and love were expressed. And prayer. People had been and were continuing to pray for my daughter-in-law. She read the post and saw the responses.
Moment of transparency here. I've been a little judgy in the past when there was a genuine need, and there would be an overwhelming number of 'Prayers' response to the appeal. Our first response in a time of need should always be to pray. But when it is in our power to help, that should also be our first response. When God moves us to, well, move, then that is what we ought to do. That is putting feet to our prayers. There may be times, however, when we feel powerless. We have no ability to help in a given situation. Those are the times when we can lift our wounded brethren up in prayer. And when a person sees, hears that they are being lifted up in prayer by people who genuinely love and care for them, they are encouraged and strengthened. These prayers do indeed have power.
I have not only read the reports of the tragedies from our neighbors and friends, but I have also read the small victories as well. The strength, the resilience, the hope, the faith. Healing comes in much more than just physical. It is emotional, mental and spiritual as well.
We may not have been battered by a hurricane, or had major surgery recently....or maybe you have. But whatever the circumstance, the situation, the truth is this: There is healing in the blood. The struggle for all of us, though, is that it doesn't happen overnight. We must be patient, let the process work, and look for those moments of progress.
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