Franklin Graham, Max Lucado & John Piper Offer Messages & Prayers of Hope in the Face of Hurricane Irma

Irma, one of the fiercest Atlantic storms in a century, was expected to rip through the Florida Keys archipelago on Sunday morning. It will make landfall on the Florida peninsula somewhere west of Miami on a track that would take it up the state's west coast, including Tampa, forecasters said. The state's Governor, Rick Scott calls Hurricane Irma, "way bigger than Andrew," which was the devastating hurricane that hit the state 25 years ago. 

In the face of such an impeding catastrophe, Christian leaders Franklin Graham, Max Lucado and John Piper offers messages and prayers of hope.

Franklin Graham:

They're calling Hurricane Irma a monster. It's the strongest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history and right now meteorologists say it's headed straight for Florida. Evacuations are already taking place in the Florida Keys with only one roadway in and out. Pray for the safety of all those in the path of the storm--the Caribbean, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and possibly parts of Puerto Rico before Irma reaches Florida. 

Max Lucado:

Pray, armed with the knowledge that God is in control. Face the uncertain future with conviction. Our good God in heaven overseeing this stormy world. We may not be able to see his purpose or his plan, but the Lord of heaven is on his throne and in firm control of the universe and our lives.

The storm is coming, but God is with us. Look ahead and chart a path to safety. Look around and see who you can help. And look up to the God who loves you. He can be trusted with your future.  And he can be trusted with your very life. 

John Piper:

O Lord, do not sleep through this storm. O Lord, let not the flood sweep over us, or the deep swallow us up. Rise up! And do what only you can do amid these winds and waves. Rebuke them, as you once did. When they have done your wise and needed work, let them not have one minute more of strength. Command them, O Christ, to cease, we pray. And make a holy calm. For you are God, all things are your servants.

And give us ears, O God. Your voice, O Lord, is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. O God, forbid that we would not give heed.

Open our ears, you who once brought Job to humble silence, announcing from the whirlwind who you are, and that, when all is lost, the story then unfolds that in it all your purpose was compassionate and kind.

Whether we sit waste deep in the water of our Texas homes, or wait, uncertain, with blankets on a church pew, or nail the plywood to our Florida shop, or sit secure and dry a thousand miles from any sea, teach us, in mercy, what we need to learn, and cannot any other way.

And woe to us who, far away from floods, would point our finger at the sufferer and wonder at his greater sin, forgetting how the voice of Jesus rings in every tragedy: "Do you think that they were worse offenders? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." The very word of God to all Americans.

And now, O Lord, unleash the common grace of kindness from a million hearts and bank accounts, and grant as great a mercy in rebuilding as you once gave verdict to destroy. Restrain, O God, the evil hearts of those who would bring sorrow upon sorrow by looting what is left behind, or exploiting loss for private gain.

And in your church awaken this: the truth that you once gave yourself for us that we might be redeemed, not first from floods, but sin and lawlessness. That you once died, not first to put us out of peril, but to make us pure. Not first to spare us misery, but make us zealous for good deeds. And so, O mighty Christ, unleash from us another flood - the blood-bought passion of your people not for ruin, but for rebuilding lives and homes.

O Father, awaken every soul to see where we have built our lives on sand. Show us from every storm the way to build our lives on rock. Oh are you not our rock! Out fortress our deliverer, our God in whom we take refuge, our shield, and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold. How great the fall of every life built on the sand of human skill!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags : hurricane irma John Piper Franklin Graham christian leaders max lucado hurricane florida