" The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!" It's taken me a few days to digest all that has happened in our city over the past few days. One moment I was cleaning out flower beds with my husband, and the next our city was in crisis from a tornado that rummaged the earth for 22 minutes. I have two families that are dear to me that will have to rebuild because their homes are unliveable from the storm.
Spending the next days racking my brain to find ways to help, something occurred to me. This devastation occurred on Good Friday, and it was amazing to see the Body of Christ be His hands and feet of service over these past days. I have seen Jesus, in the form of His people, all over Murfreesboro. I can't help but think that God at times has to allow these devastating things to remind His creation that we were meant for something more in this life besides serving self. We were meant to live a life of service to Him. That's exactly what I've seen. Service out of the overflow of Christ living in us. Is this time excruciatingly hard to watch? Of course. But, I know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.
I posted this picture because of something that my friend James said to me as we were surveying his devastation. He lives in an older neighborhood with very mature trees...actually an oak in the front and back yard. With the sound of chainsaws in the background, he said these words to me, "The mighty oak is no match for the breath of God." So true, James, so true.
I am thanking God today for the good that I already have seen coming from this storm in our lives. Just as the rubble leaves the scene of devastation overflowing in the trucks that carry it, our lives continue to overflow with the love of Jesus Christ, who is with us in the midst of every single storm we face in this life.
