Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 7th February, 2009

Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 7th February, 2009

There has been a lot of comment about Australia’s weather in the last week or two. In the north it is very hot, steamy and wet. Well, most of us would think it is very hot but it is about 10 to 15 degrees celcius cooler than in the southern State capitals of Melbourne and Adelaide. Those cities and their States are not only hot but they are being heated by very dry winds which have blown across the hot centre of Australia.
Heres a few forecast temperatures for today (Saturday) :

PERTH Fine. Max 28c/85f
ADELAIDE Windy. Change developing. Max 41c/105f
MELBOURNE Late cool change. Windy. Max 44c/111f
HOBART Rain at times clearing. Max 27c/81f
ALBURY-WODONGA Mostly sunny. Windy. Max 44c/111f
CANBERRA Dry, sunny and very hot. Max 40c/104f
SYDNEY Fine. Sunny. Max 33c/91f
BRISBANE fine Max 31c/87f
TOWNSVILLE Rain, windy Max 29c/85f
CAIRNS Showers Max 31c/87f
DARWIN A few showers. Max 32c/90f
ALICE SPRINGS Fine, afternoon cloud. Max 40c/104f

The people who do not know Australian cities may not understand that Darwin and Cairns are both tropical cities and have the reputation for being uncomfortably humid and hot. However the southernmost mainland capitals are today and for the past week have been hotter than the tropics.
The heat in Adelaide and Melbourne is caused by hot dry winds which blow across the hot dry inland of Austrtalia. As I type this bush fires are raging and many homes and other property has been lost.
The news which was just on the radio says that cool winds have come from the south but they are blowing the fires in a new direction. A fire authority spokesperson says that even with the cooler temperatures, it will be many hours before the fires are safe.
The closest fires to where I am on the Gold Coast are about 1000 kilometres away around Sydney. Melbourne is another 700 kilometres south of Sydney.
About 1500 kilometres north of me is the town of Ingham which is expecting its second flood in a week. Last night Ingham had 150mm or 6 inches of rain and it is still raining. People who had begun clearing out the mud and mess from the first flood have retreated to higher parts of their homes or to higher ground.
While Ingham had 150mm last night, Innisfail further north is reported to have had 350mm or 14inches at the same time. Most of this water goes quickly out to sea as the mountains are close to the coast. However, there is such a huge quantity that the rivers often break their banks and spread out causing flood damage to towns and country areas.

The north Queensland area around Ingham and Innisfail grow sugar cane, bananas, pawpaws (papaya), and to a lesser extent vegetable crops.
Australia at the moment has extremes of weather. Whilst some areas have floods in the north, there are other areas which have not had good rainfall for years. Some of the areas which have not had good rainfall will benefit in a few weeks when the water which flowed inland from North Queensland monsoonal rains travels down the normally dry rivers and creeks to them.

We struggle to understand weather , nature and all that is around us. Jesus observed nature around him and suggested people should look at it to learn lessons for their life.

He says:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[2] ?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6: 25-34. NIV).

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[4] ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10; 29-31 NIV).

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4513.mp3
OR
Look and listen: Ethel Waters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnLKyeY_fj8&feature=related ]
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Civilla D. Martin, 1905.

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