Taught by a Tornado
Monday tragedy struck Moore, Oklahoma in the form of a massive tornado. Major news networks report that the death toll is around 24, 9 of which are children.
This disaster has affected a great number of people, and we as Christians should be one of the groups that are affected by it the most. After all one of the major threads in the Bible is growing during the struggles life throws at us.
1 Peter 1:6-7
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,James 1:2-3
New King James Version (NKJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
I’d like to think that Christians can learn from trials whether or not we’re directly associated with them. Lets take a moment and look at a few thoughts on what we can learn from tragedies like this.
1. Life is precious and very fragile.
Psalm 139:14
New King James Version (NKJV)
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
I snagged the picture above from a Facebook post that happened to pop up on my feed. Whether this picture was staged Divinely or by the photographer, the simple message comes across loudly. Things aren’t important. Lives are.
God has created us in His image and He has a purpose for each person. We need to make sure we do not take for granted those around us. Everyone we come in contact is a precious soul and we need to see them as such. Their salvation is just as important to God as yours is.
2 Peter 3:9
New King James Version (NKJV)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
That person that just cut you off in traffic and flipped you off, or that co-worker that spends his evenings soused and his days making you do his job because he’s too hung over to be coherent? God wants them in His fold. Despite their flaws we need to let them know just how much they mean to God. Despite their choices and problems in life God still sent Jesus for them as well as you.
Romans 5:8
New King James Version (NKJV)
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is a lesson I have to keep telling myself every time I get frustrated with the people around me.
We never know when something like a tornado may take them, or us away from this life. That brings me to:
James 4:14
New King James Version (NKJV)
14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away
Life is short. Eternity is forever. We need to make certain that we have our lives right with Christ.
2. Don’t just pray, GIVE.
James 2:15-16
New King James Version (NKJV)
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
It can be difficult to see the needs of others around us. Whether it be through our own self-centered blindness, or due to others’ pride it’s easy to just throw a “we’re praying for you/pray for me” out there instead of actually addressing the problem.
I almost added “in this day and age” to that sentence but on reflection I imagine it was just as difficult in the time of the New Testament church. Nobody wants to have to ask for help. However, its just as important that we swallow our pride and ask for help as it is to provide it when we see the need.
Galatians 6:2
New King James Version (NKJV)
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
These tragedies brutally point out the elephant in the room. These people will need food, water, shelter, clothes, medical supplies, extra hands for clean up, etc. You name it, they will need it. Now thanks to modern technology we can easily see something we can do and we should be jumping at this chance to do so.
Here are a few of the sites that should be arranging disaster relief soon:
https://www.facebook.com/memorialroad
http://theministrysource.com
http://www.disasterassistancecoc.com/
http://www.disasterreliefeffort.org/
http://www.churchesofchristdrt.org/
But don’t get me wrong, prayers are still important!
James 5:16
New King James Version (NKJV)
16…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
3. Be Ready
One could argue that this is the same point as “Life is precious and fragile” however Peter points out another way to be ready.
1 Peter 3:15
New King James Version (NKJV)
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
The common question asked during events like these is “Why?” Or, “why would a loving God allow children to die?” We need to be prepared to answer this question. This is an open door to planting the seed of the Word. If we cannot answer this question or any others we might encounter we’ll lose that opportunity. Be Ready.
Question:
There are many more lessons we can learn from these trials, but I have to stop this article somewhere or it’ll never get published, so now comes the time for the question.
What are some other lessons we can learn from this?
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