By K. Ray McDowell

 

Psalm 121:7-8
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

I realize now in a more personal way why folks in this area mark history with comments like…”before Rita” or “after Ike”. That simple reference… “since Harvey” finds its way into my conversations daily. Disasters change a community. They change your life.

Psalm 121 has become a new favorite of mine. In fact, I find that any Psalm sounds different to me now. They have a deeper richer meaning and bring comfort and peace unlike before…since Harvey.

The Texas coast will never be the same. Orange County will never be the same. Our city, our friends, our neighbors…you and me. We will never be the same. Has life continued? Most certainly. In fact, in ways that only the Lord can bring to pass we are becoming better, stronger…closer to Him and each other… since Harvey.
My “comings and goings” have already started to “come and go”…but there is something different. I have this deep confidence that He is watching over me. He always has I believe. I have trusted in that for a long time. But now I have this sense of His presence in a profound way. He feels closer than ever before in my life…since Harvey.

K. Ray McDowell is the Lead Pastor of First Church of the Nazarene in Orange Texas. To learn more about OFCN go to www.ofcnazarene.org or our Facebook page.