Lord, we need your help, down here on earth!

As if you don't already know this God, we need more help down here on earth.  We know that you can make good from any situation; from any calamity or disaster we face.  We may not understand your overall divine plan, or how things we consider bad, even horrible, conform to your will.  But we should take great hope and be encouraged that you are in charge; you hold all of us in the palm of your hand.

Heavenly Father we do not understand when disasters like the Japanese or Haitian earthquake strike and wipe out so many people.  Many of my friends and neighbors; even some family still can't fathom why Katrina interrupted their seemingly normal lives.  In just a few short weeks, we will mark the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy.  Was this not a horrific act that snuffed out the lives of innocent people?  So we ask why.  We may even ask that question that has been asked so many times before: why do bad things happen to good people?

Today we took pause and watched the reports as the Dow Jones lost 600 points and economic pundits predict everything from all will be well to the other extreme that we are facing financial peril.  The debt limit debate obviously took it's toll and remarkably the dems and the repubs(referred to here in New Orleans by a local radio dude as the demadonts and repubicants) are still playing the blame game.  Amazingly, every well run business, heck a well run family knows that debt screws plenty of things up.  Our governement must not get it.  Political disagreement is one thing, the volatile, nastiness of the current political climate now may be directly contributing to an economic disaster.  Lord, give us wisdom.  Show us the path to take.  Help us find a way.  And most important Lord, help those responsible for policy that protects the weakest among us; the poor, marginalized and the unemployed.

And still today we are receiving more information about a devastating drought.  No, I'm not talking about the pretty severe drought griping Texas and other mid-western and western states, I'm referring to something most of us will simply ignore.  The drought griping southern Somalia and other areas in eastern Africa is killing thousands and thousands.  Refugees are on the move, stung hard by this drought and the complications of Muslim extremism that adds to the fear factor of these weak and vulnerable people.  Over 29,000 young people have died in the last month and a half in what is now the worlds largest refugee camp in Kenya.  How do we react?  Lord, what do we do?  We pray for relief for these poor innocent people.  We pray for rain.  And we pray for a loving and humane response from those of us not hungry.  We need your help, Lord.

In times of great stress Lord, you are there.  Only you know how this will play out.  Help us to understand; help us to respond appropriately, and where necessary, charitably.

We need some help Lord, down here on earth!