July 16, 2020 (Thursday)
A few weeks ago, my television program was interupted by the local meteorogist who showed me the radar image of a line of strong storms headed our way, promising to produce quarter-sized hailstones along with strong winds. I tuned into the radar on my computer and watched a menacing red cloud on the screen as it moved our way, getting closer and closer. It was part of a line of storms moving south. When it reached the northern end of our peninsula, it divided itself into two big storms, each of which continued moving south on either side of our peninsula. I looked out the door and saw lots of lightning but heard no thunder. I’m sure our cats appreciated the “no thunder” part of the storms because they do scamper wildly when they hear it.
While I was watching the approaching storm, as the TV was being interrupted with a warning every few minutes, I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be nice if that thing split in half and lost its punch before it gets here.” And that’s exactly what happened.
Did I have anything to do with being spared a hail storm? I don’t think so. I did not put a “hex” on the storm and redirect it. I may have offered a slight prayer under my breath for safety, and while I would be more than eager to give the glory to God and say He answered my prayer, I think He has more important things on His agenda. When it was all over and the storms passed us by, I felt very thankful, and probably said, “Thank you, Lord,” but I really think it all played out with severity and direction being determined by forces beyond my power to control, with a “hex” or by prayer.
When Hurricane Celia hit our church building in Rockport in 1970, it took the roof of the building off and threw it a block away, leaving the interior exposed to the elements and doing much damage. A lady in the church asked me point blank, “Why did the Lord allow the damage to our beautiful building?” I answered, “Because we built the church where the wind was going to blow.”
Our weather is controlled by natural movements of air, changing pressures, low and high systems, etc. etc. It is all beyond our ability to control, but we are understanding more about the processes of a universe God set into motion, governed by natural laws, as time goes by. Consequently, we are getting better with our warnings, and so are learning how to save more lives.
God’s creative work included us, and our brains. Little by little, we are learning how to put our brains to work to cope with nature and survive. God is behind it all. We depend on Him and ask for wisdom to attain knowledge and use it for good.
The Bible tells us that God made humankind after His own image. I don’t think that describes our bodies, although the human body is a wonder in itself, but I believe “in his image” means we, like God, have mind, will and emotion. Those qualities of our nature make it possible for us to understand God and communicate with Him. He has infused us with that marvelous something that we call, “life.” For that we are so grateful and we intend to let our lives be counted on this earth for God’s glory.
We do not know when our journey through this world will be over, but we do know, like all generations before us, that we shall pass from the scene. Our prayer is that we shall be remembered as those who tried to serve God and make this world a better place for the generations that shall follow us.
“Living for Jesus” was written by Thomas O. Chisholm in 1917. He was born in Franklin, Kentucky in 1866. His boyhood was spent on a farm and in teaching district schools. He spent five years as editor of the local paper at Franklin. He was converted to Christianity at the age of 26 and soon after was business manager and office editor of the “Pentecostal Hearld” or Louisville, Ky. In 1903 he entered the ministry of the M. E. Church South. His aim in writing was to incorporate as much as Scripture as possible and to avoid flippant or sentimental themes.