It has been incredibly warm here in Illinois for January. On Monday we had some thunderstorms go through and something that is unheard of this time of the year, a tornado touched down near the Wisconsin/Illinois border.
The tornado touched down near the town of Poplar Grove. My parents live not too far from this town just north of Belvidere. The tornado destroyed the buildings at Edward's Apple Orchard. Edward's holds some special memories for me. I have pictures of a class trip I took there when I was in kindergarten. Most recently we took our daughter Abby there for a fun day. It is sad to know that this landmark will never be the same.
Watching and reading some of the coverage of this event, I was listening to a lady whose home was destroyed in the storm. In the interview she basically cursed God and accused him of bringing this great evil upon her.
This is something that is not all that uncommon. So often I hear people blame God for their ills in life. My first reaction is always one of great sadness, because I know in that moment that person does not really know God at all.
As Americans we somehow have this view that God is obligated to put his hedge of protection around us no matter if we honor him with our lives or not. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise to protect the ungodly. I find it interesting that the person who wants nothing to do with God, when tragedy strikes, all of a sudden lashes out and says, "where were you God?" I can almost hear God crying out: "I was always here, but you pushed me away."
Ed Young, a pastor in Dallas, Texas has a great illustration to this point. He uses an image of an umbrella. An umbrella will protect you from the rain, but in order for the umbrella to work, you need to stand under that umbrella. In life, if we want shelter from the storm, we need to make sure that we are standing underneath God's authority. Because if we are not standing underneath that authority, we are not under the shelter of God's wings. I think the way that Ed puts it is that we need to be umbrella fellas and parasol princesses.
Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.
Spread you protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
You surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11-12
The tornado touched down near the town of Poplar Grove. My parents live not too far from this town just north of Belvidere. The tornado destroyed the buildings at Edward's Apple Orchard. Edward's holds some special memories for me. I have pictures of a class trip I took there when I was in kindergarten. Most recently we took our daughter Abby there for a fun day. It is sad to know that this landmark will never be the same.
Watching and reading some of the coverage of this event, I was listening to a lady whose home was destroyed in the storm. In the interview she basically cursed God and accused him of bringing this great evil upon her.
This is something that is not all that uncommon. So often I hear people blame God for their ills in life. My first reaction is always one of great sadness, because I know in that moment that person does not really know God at all.
As Americans we somehow have this view that God is obligated to put his hedge of protection around us no matter if we honor him with our lives or not. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise to protect the ungodly. I find it interesting that the person who wants nothing to do with God, when tragedy strikes, all of a sudden lashes out and says, "where were you God?" I can almost hear God crying out: "I was always here, but you pushed me away."
Ed Young, a pastor in Dallas, Texas has a great illustration to this point. He uses an image of an umbrella. An umbrella will protect you from the rain, but in order for the umbrella to work, you need to stand under that umbrella. In life, if we want shelter from the storm, we need to make sure that we are standing underneath God's authority. Because if we are not standing underneath that authority, we are not under the shelter of God's wings. I think the way that Ed puts it is that we need to be umbrella fellas and parasol princesses.
Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.
Spread you protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
You surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11-12
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