Good morning. Would you open your Bibles, please, to Romans, the 8th chapter. Romans, the 8th chapter for our time in God's word today, as I record this, it's actually Wednesday morning, the eve of when that big storm is going to hit Florida. We have some members that are currently there now, so we will be keeping them, of course, in our prayers and in fact, the entire state and all those affected here by the recent storm. And now this one.

Coming at a time such as this, it can be sometimes helpful to ask, why do hurricanes occur? Why do natural disasters seem to occur? Well, meteorologists will give us their scientific explanation, but we also can look at this from a theological perspective. Look with me, please, at verse 20 of Romans 8. "For the creation was subjected to futility not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now. What this portion of God's word helps us to understand is that when a hurricane occurs or an earthquake occurs or a natural disaster occurs, God never created creation to function in that manner. No, it is reflective of the fact that creation has fallen into sin when our first parents ate of that forbidden tree and sin entered into the picture that sin is reflected also in creation that is broken. So it's not only us that are broken because of our sinfulness, but also creation is broken itself. God never created creation to have hurricanes... that was never his desire.

God never created creation so that there would be this storm of devastation. No, what we see is exactly what Paul is talking about. This decay, this decay of creation that is reflective of sin. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God that the Lord Jesus has come and has born our sin on the cross, that the Lord Jesus Christ has paid our sin debt, that the wrath of God for sin has been laid upon Jesus and not upon us.

Thanks be to God for the glorious gospel, the glorious gospel that we are washed in in our baptism. Thanks be to God that we can continually turn to the God that we know, a God who loves us amidst our days as we live in this broken creation, we know of God's love for us, and we know that we can turn to him in prayer. Let's do just that. 

Gracious heavenly Father, we give you thanks. We give you thanks for the grace that you have shown us in the Lord Jesus Christ. We give you thanks, Lord, that you looked upon the brokenness of us and that you sent your savior to bear our sin on the cross. Gracious heavenly Father, as we live these days in a broken creation, when we see hurricanes and other natural disasters, we come before your throne, confident in the one that we come before, confident in your love for us in Jesus Christ. Gracious heavenly Father, as creation reflects the brokenness of sin, we pray. We pray for those that are affected by this. We pray, O Lord, for first responders. We pray for leaders in those communities. We ask, O Lord, for your guidance and grace to surround this situation. We pray for protection. We pray for healing. And so, Father, for all those affected, surround them with your loving arms. Thank you Lord, that you know all about this situation. Thank you Lord, for your grace, for your love. In Jesus name, amen. 

Let's keep our friends and our neighbors in our prayers as this storm continues to have its effects. Continue to lift them up in prayer.  Continue to lift up those that are responding. Thanks be to God that God is on his throne. God hears our prayers. God bless you. 

Encourage someone.

Pastor Eibel