God's Story in the Storms

On this first anniversary of a day of destruction in Alabama and states across the South, we can take comfort in Romans chapter 8:38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   The temporal losses that so many suffer have become opportunities for people to experience the eternal presence of Christ.    Even in the midst of despair and destruction, God brings hope, which can provide an anchor for soul and the strength to carry on.   As the love of Jesus Christ has been spread across the state of Alabama, we can be confident that God has been glorified, and He has written an amazing story of grace and restoration over the past 12 months.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus illustrates that the storms come, and He encourages us to build our lives on the firm foundation of His Word and His presence - here's what Matthew 7 says:24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."


It's not hard to remember the events of April 27, 2011 - I was here doing the Meeting House program, watching weather developments online...due to modern technology, I was able to see camera shots of that huge F4 tornado bearing down on Tuscaloosa, coming within blocks of the Univ. of Alabama campus with majestic Bryant-Denny Stadium clearly in view; then later that afternoon, the shots from the Red Mountain Expressway in Birmingham of that funnel cloud taking out north Birmingham neighborhoods.   That night, I watched the news reports of a horrific F4 that blew through Elmore County and the Lake Martin area - it was certainly a dramatic and really depressing day.

Then, the damage stories began to unfold, and the story of God's hand in the midst of tragedy began to be written, as well.   Churches and ministry organizations immediately swung into action - trained volunteers and people wanting to lend a hand were motivated to help out the victims.   The mantra of "how can I help?" was heard throughout the state and beyond.    Truly, a disaster gives the body of Christ a chance to shine His light.

There are plenty of principles that we can reflect on during this season of commemoration:
1 - We don't always know why bad things happen.  But, we can rest assured that crisis becomes an opportunity for the glory of God - we live in a fallen world, and adversity will come - the storms will blow through, as Jesus illustrated in the Sermon on the Mount.   The question is: how will we handle them?   If we respond in faith, then He will do amazing things either inside our hearts or around or lives - and if we don't respond properly, still God can show us by His Spirit how we can be ready the next time.

2 - We can always be better prepared.  During this past year, people have evaluated their personal emergency plans.   Organizations that provide relief are looking at ways they can respond even better.    We can look for definite areas of improvement.

3 - Working together brings more effective results.   There are great benefits when we as believers can lay down our differences - of doctrine, culture, ethnicity, or geography - and seek after the common goal of bringing relief to those who have been affected and glory to God.    Partnerships have been key in the restoration effort.

4 - Our God is a God of restoration.  Even where lives have been devastated and livelihood destroyed, we can know that the Lord is a builder...He always brings hope, and His people are often called to be communicators of that hope - with our mouths, our hands, and our hearts.   The display of the love of Christ is a powerful force in letting other people know that He is interested in them, He loves them deeply, and He desires to repair what is broken.  

These are just a few of many lessons that have emerged from the "teachable moments" of April 27th - in their despair, some blame God, but we all have to look beyond the temporal damage and seek the eternal work that He wants to do.