Finding God in the Storms

Tornadoes, strong winds, and extreme amounts of rain have reeked havoc on the Oklahoma City Metro over the past two weeks.  Approximately 30+ lives, 15,000+ homes, and multiple businesses, schools, and churches all lost in the past two weeks.  Nothing like Oklahoma Weather during tornado season.

Although I have not personally heard anyone ask this question, I'm sure a lot of people are wondering how a good God could allow such devastating and tragic events to happen.  Some may even add, especially to the Bible belt of all places.

Radical extremists argue that we are experiencing God's wrath because of our sins.  One group even blamed OKC Thunder player Kevin Durant because he said he would still love and support a basketball player that recently announced that he was a homosexual.  Please don't listen to these people.  Their distorted view of the Bible is a poor representation of Christianity.

The fact of the matter is devastating events like Tornadoes happen due to a mixture of hot and cold air colliding.  The flat landscape of Oklahoma, Kansas, and surrounding areas is a perfect breeding ground of this to happen.  Its nature.  It's science.  I don't think it has to do with God's wrath on a people or especially on one particular person's choice to extend grace to someone.

So where is God in all this distaster and devastation?

God shows up in disaster relief teams.  He is in the teachers that lay on top of students.  He is in the Salvation Army & Red Cross.  He is in the relief teams both organized and unorganized.  He is in the churches, businesses, and hospitals that have set up shelters.  He is in the celebrities and major corporations that have donated millions of dollars and in concerts and events that raised millions more.

God showed up as First Responders, Firemen, Policemen, Nurses, Doctors, Teachers, Principals and the President.  He showed up as storm chasers, meteorologists  and news casters keeping folks informed.  He showed up as friends and family members in piles of rubble.  God showed up as strangers lending a hand.  He showed up as college dorms allowing workers to stay.  He showed up as truckloads of water, diapers, clothes, and food.  And He showed up as a single gift card, dollar bill in the offering plate, and the small contents of a child's piggy bank.

You ask where is God during times of devastation and disaster?  I ask you where is He not?

May God bless Oklahoma and may we be thankful for His presence in our state, cities, communities and families.

Letting Your Child Fall

Our 8 month old son Beau is EVERYWHERE!  He is crawling, rolling, and pulling up to everything that he is able to...even the toilet.  If we take our eyes off of him for a few seconds he is in, on, or under something, or in a different room.  He is quite the adventurer and has scratches, bumps, bruises, and black eyes to prove it.

Because of his curiosity and desire to explore, we know that he is going to get hurt.  As we watch him pull up on something we have a pretty good idea if he is going to fall or not.  Sometimes we catch him and redirect him but sometimes we let him fall.  It hurts us to watch him fall, get hurt, and cry but it is a part of the learning and growing process.  As hard as it is to watch him hurt, it brings is joy to watch him learn from his hurts and make better decisions the next time.  Even at 8 months he is learning from his mistakes.  

As new parents, we are trying to find the balance between protecting him and letting him learn from his experiences.  We haven't found a specific formula for knowing when to help and when to let him fall, just playing it by ear and open to ideas.  

As I process this concept, I can't help but think that this is the same thing that God goes through with us.  He is watching us and has more than just a pretty good idea if we are going to fall or not.  Sometimes He catches and redirects us and sometimes He lets us fall.  And as much as it pains Him to watch us, it brings Him joy to watch us learn and grow and make better decisions the next time.  

This has helped me understand the concept of how God could "allow" bad things to happen in the world.  More than ever, I'm thankful for the times that God chose not to catch or redirect me away from pain, hurt, and heartbreak.  I wouldn't be where I am today without that learning and growing in times of hurt.  And while my wife and I are still finding the balance between knowing when to help our son and when to let him fall, we will definitely be there to encourage, hold, hug, and love him unconditionally throughout the entire process.