For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.—Romans 8:20-22
Over this past month the country has been rocked with numerous tornadoes resulting in 500+ deaths, the latest 100+ from a single tornado, alone, in Joplin, MO—the deadliest single tornado on record. And this not far removed from an earthquake that devastated Japan…and shall we not forget fresh in our minds hurricanes and tsunamis and floods.
I am a pastor, but I also hold a degree in meteorology and have been storm chasing for over a decade. I have seen beauty and destruction (though nothing first-hand like the images from Alabama and Joplin). As such I have a unique view that only a small percentage of others share—an understanding of the science and math explaining the order God built into creation.
Tornadoes and the likes may be quite unpredictable, but they are not unexplainable. And believe me, when you spent time studying the equations it is easy to look at a storm in pictures and on radar and not see it as a storm but as a complex series of events and parameters.
But then you see it in life and the reality behind it all returns.
As destructive as a rapidly twisting column of air can be, there remains a sense of beauty in the event. There is a hint of majesty in watching a single cloud rise, fall, and rise again only to blossom into a towering superstructure that looses lightning and spews hail. There is a recognition of power as the air churns, the winds blow, and trees topple. It reminds us of the majesty and power of God—after all, such a storm is just a microscopic particle on this small speck in this tiny solar system that’s a part of this little galaxy that spins in the midst of a seemingly infinite universe. If this is what happens here, imagine what happens out there in the midst of a star, a nebula, or a black hole, and imagine the infinite power of the God who created and controls it all!
Yet in the beauty there is also destruction. A chilling reminder that all is not right in this world.
In a YouTube video taken by a person who lived through the Joplin tornado, you hear a woman crying out prayers and praises to Jesus. A commentator, mockingly, asked why would you cry out in praise to a God who made tornadoes?
The destruction does not occur because God is some malevolent force toying with the lives of his creatures—may it never be! Rather, the destruction exists because God gave us rule over this little ball of creation and we rebelled against God and handed the rule over to Satan and brought it under God’s curse.
The destruction happens because the now-cursed creation is groaning and crying out in bondage to sin and decay waiting for its Savior. Just as the destruction (decay, disease, and death) of our bodies happen for the same reason.
When we see such images and hear such news stories it is a stark reminder of the darkness of our sin. It is a sad story of the darkness of our fall.
Yet it is also an anecdote to the hope, freedom, and glory that is to come. After all creation cries out, just as we in Jesus cry out: through the bondage, through the decay, waiting and anticipating glory.
We look at the devastation and mourn and weep for those who lost property and life; yet we look through the devastation at the cross raised above it all and rejoice because one day Jesus will return, our bodies will be made new, and creation will be set free. Then there will be perfect beauty in many forms, yet pain and destruction will be no more.
Image note: not my picture, but from a friend of a friend on facebook.
The pictures are simply devastating. May the day the bondage is over come quickly.
I spent 14.5 hours on the road yesterday and caught the tornadic part of the storm that went through El Reno, OK as it was coming to an end between Guthrie and Stillwater.
This has been a crazy year, but we have those every now and then (2003, 1999 in recent memory).
The destruction always makes you hope for the “better days”…
You said,
“The destruction does not occur because God is some malevolent force toying with the lives of his creatures—may it never be! Rather, the destruction exists because God gave us rule over this little ball of creation and we rebelled against God and handed the rule over to Satan and brought it under God’s curse.
“The destruction happens because the now-cursed creation is groaning and crying out in bondage to sin and decay waiting for its Savior. Just as the destruction (decay, disease, and death) of our bodies happen for the same reason.
“When we see such images and hear such news stories it is a stark reminder of the darkness of our sin. It is a sad story of the darkness of our fall.
“Yet it is also an anecdote to the hope, freedom, and glory that is to come. After all creation cries out, just as we in Jesus cry out: through the bondage, through the decay, waiting and anticipating glory.”
THANK YOU!!! This is right and Biblical and is a view that I don’t often hear. One day, all of this will be made right. Until then, we wait in hope.
Why don’t you google HAARP and the Joplin and othe tornadoes? Have you ever done any reading about Nikola Tesla and his inventions? Having been trained as a Black Historian to do research outside the box, I never take anything at its face value. Mabe there was more to Jesse Ventura’s program on the HAARP than most would expect even though he leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes what sounds like tare hair stuff ain’t.
Let me guess, it was all Bush’s fault? LOL
Yeah.
I don’t think so.
Bush’s fault? No, I don’t remember saying so. In fact the public puppets dance to the strings of others. You should Carroll Quigley’s Tragedy and Hope and his The Ango American Establishment, especially the appendice of Cecil Rhodes’ 6th will about the real aim of the scholarships bearing his name. O yes, in Tragedy and Hope you find all of the radical groups from th 1920s on were controlled byone outfit, that pluralism as such was promoted and that determinism was what the folks who run the world opposed. Could it be that they infiltrated the SBC long ago and worked to divide and destroy the effective Gospel witness. The greatest threat those folks ever had was those Great Awakenings and the launching of the Great Century of Missions. Quigley was professor of International Relations at Georgetown, and Mr. C.’s mentor and recommended him for the scholarships to go to Oxford. Tragedy and Hope is the dullest book in history you will ever read until you come to the part where they mention that they have control and outline the theology they sport and the one they oppose (which ismistated). Seems a bunch of slick Europeans stole America long ago. This group runs both parties, giving us a choice of their options.(They’re not dumb, you know). Conspiracy history is a subject that should be taught in schools, but the group would not allow it or appreciate it….unless taught from their view point. Where do I stand? for the original American Constitutionalism and Practices. O yes, follow the money, too. They have schools for the recruitment and training of personnel. Our son attended one, when he was 11 for two weeks….Interesting question came upon the computer that he worked on for two weeks under the mentoring of a 20 year old Black College kid. The question was this: “If you were an official in a world government and had an overpopulation problem with a country in Africa, How would you handle it? a. Have a war and kill them off. b. Use an infectious agent, germ, or disease and kill them off? c. Let them starve?” A friend told me he had that same question on a State Dept. exam back in the 60s. The thing is deep, antichrist (substitute Christ idea) is involved, but the answer will lie, I think, in a Third Great Awakening for which I have been praying for 38 years. Google HAARP, the tornadoes, earthquakes, and Tsnumais. Very interesting. Think of the greatness of the God whom we worship and His wherewithal to cope with such situations! The Bible teaches that where sin did abound, grace does superabound. The enemy has come in like a flood, and the Lord is raising up a standard, a counter flood, a greater flood of grace, one that will sweep the whole earth and take every soul in it in one generation and continue for a thousand generations. At least that is what I pray. Read Jonathan Edwards’ Humble Attempt for the promises to be pleaded. The real LOL comes in the triumphs of Sovereign Grace, when it turns out to be so wonderful no one can resist it. Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Well speaking of this topic… today a smaller, EF-2 tornado went through my home town of Sedalia, MO. I was there for a funeral and saw it.
Passed just a couple of blocks south of my parent’s (and my childhood) home.
Fortunately it sounds like no one was killed in this one!