Our tree. A casualty from the storm last night.
As soon as the tornado sirens began blaring, our children’s emotions ran the spectrum from fearing we were going to die all the way to male bravado. But there are lessons to be learned in all situations–whether joyful or terrifying and tragic.
To the ones who were fearful, we remembered this verse from Psalm 56: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.” We prayed that God would help us trust Him.
To the ones who were displaying machismo, we considered the tree.
It wasn’t a tornado that ripped the tree apart. It was a mere wind gust, which doesn’t even scratch the surface of the wind in a tornado. And the fact is that the destructive power of a tornado doesn’t hold a candle to the power of God. He truly is infinitely more mighty than anything we can fathom. He is the One whom we should fear.
Before tucking the kids into bed, we thanked God for His mercy. Surely He has the power to blow down houses and take life–we’ve seen the destructive potential of tornados this year in other parts of the country. And whether He allows destruction or prevents it, He is to be praised because He is God.
**I must add this: I am helping Peter with his Bible study for church right now, and this is the verse he is writing. Just so appropriate.
For the Most High God’s dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ (Daniel 4:34-35)
