Why I Was Spared Of Ondoy's Rage

Right after our shift last Friday (that would be Saturday morning), the heavy rain fell - right after I was safe at the comfort of our home...right after I comfortably wore my usual "pambahay"...right after I have eaten my hearty lunch - the rage of Ondoy was felt all over Manila...

I don't know what I did to deserve being spared by this plague. I am not an ideal Christian, I rarely go to Church - I guess I've been to Church service only once for the past five years and that was when my brother got married. I was ordained by our Pastor to reach out to people so God's word would be known to them but instead - I was sitting comfortably in front of the television watching some feel good movie during Sundays. I lie, cheat, steal unconsciously...doing things a non Christian does...having in mind that those are just "little evil things" that almost everyone commits everyday. I don't deserve being spared and yet I still have a roof over my head, food at the table and dry clothes to warm my body while others suffer with grief due to loss of loved ones, friends, possessions and even their very little drive to start their lives all over again. For them, they would again start from scratch...building their homes little by little ... reconstructing their dreams they built for years...putting together all that was lost in a snap...

I still can't see any logical reason why God would spare a sinner like me but He sure made me realize a couple of things that I never would have thought if this tragedy did not took place. He made me realize the value if life... that there is no rich or poor when calamity strikes. He made me realize that I need to number my days and live my life to the fullest everyday. I need to laugh and enjoy life as if there is no tomorrow and love as if there will be no other chance to love but now... and pray as if I would meet my creator anytime soon. God made me realize that I need not work just to store money on earth where worms and moth (or calamities like typhoon Ondoy) could destroy but rather store up riches in Heaven and use my finances wisely to also be a blessing to others. That I need to look for every opportunity to help my neighbors in whatever help I am capable of giving. Maybe the reason we did not experience Ondoy's rage is because God wants us to be a channel of blessings to those who are needful of love and encouragement... to give hope to others who does'nt know how to start living their lives again and to share God's provision and love to everyone. He gave us another chance to realize what the purpose of our lives are and gave us the ability to help those in need - I think that itself is the reason why so many of us were spared. I think that itself is the reason why we still have our bed, our computers, our radio, our PSPs, our Ipods, our celphones while others did not even know where to get their next meal.

There is a greater purpose why God allowed this thing to happen - we might not be able to fully grasp the reason behind it now but in time...it will made known to us. Let us still sing the song of praise to God because calamities DOES'NT change the fact that GOD IS STILL GOOD ALL THE TIME... ALL the time...