颶風蘿拉橫掃墨西哥灣，向著美國路易斯安那州的海岸逼進時，當局發出了嚴厲的警告。一位郡長注意到風速高達每小時240多公里，於是他發布這則令人震驚的信息：「請儘速撤離！但如果你選擇留下來，而我們無法及時提供援助，請先將你的姓名、住址、社會安全號碼、直系親屬的聯絡方式寫在紙上，裝入密封袋，放在你的口袋裡。讓我們祈求這場颶風不至於到這種地步。」救難人員都知道，一旦颶風蘿拉登陸，他們只能眼睜睜地看著狂風暴雨一路肆意摧殘，毫無招架之力。

在舊約聖經中，每當上帝的子民面臨大自然或屬靈的災難時，上帝給他們的話語卻是堅定和充滿盼望的，祂應許在他們遭遇災難時仍與他們同在。祂說祂「已經安慰錫安和錫安一切的荒場，⋯⋯使沙漠像耶和華的園囿」（以賽亞書51章3節）。此外，上帝總是肯定地告訴祂的百姓，他們只要信靠祂，就會得到拯救與醫治。上帝說雖然「天必像煙雲消散」，但祂的「救恩永遠長存」（6節）。無論發生什麼災害，上帝對他們至深的恩慈絕不會受到阻撓，永遠不會！

上帝不會讓我們免受苦難，但祂確實應許，祂那恢復與醫治的大能會遠遠超過任何破壞。

As Hurricane Laura raged through the Gulf of Mexico toward the US coastline of Louisiana, the warnings were dire. One sheriff, noting the 150-mile-per-hour winds, issued this jolting message: “Please evacuate. But if you choose to stay and we cant get to you, write your name, address, social security number, and next of kin and put it in a Ziploc bag in your pocket. Praying that it does not come to this.” Rescue crews knew that once Laura hit land, they could only watch the storm’s destructive path—helpless in its wake.

Whenever God’s people in the Old Testament faced natural or spiritual calamity, His words were far more certain and hopeful, promising His presence despite destruction. He said that He would “look with compassion on all her ruins; [and would] make her wastelands . . . like the garden of the Lord” (Isaiah 51:3). And more, God always assured His people of the rescue and healing that would certainly follow if they would only trust Him. Even though “the heavens [would] vanish like smoke,” God said, His “salvation [would] last forever” (v. 6). Whatever the damage, His ultimate goodness toward them wouldn’t be thwarted, ever.

God doesn’t safeguard us from hardship, but He does promise that His restorative healing extends far beyond the ruin.