The OK Tornadoes: When All Hope Is Lost
This week, a tornado ravaged through part of my state that I am very familiar with: Moore, OK. The EF-5 rated twister flattened a 1-2 mile strip through the city.
I visited Moore 2 days ago.
I helped clean-up a graveyard so that they could begin funerals. I found everything ranging from baseball cards, to door knobs, to childrens’ coloring book pages, to family photos, to photos of elvis.
All of these were surrounded by hordes, maybe millions, of sharp dagger & spear -like debris.
The same debris that led to so many being injured & some even killed.
The day before the Monday Moore tornado, an EF-3 passed through Edmond, OK. I witnessed it forming & touching ground & passing right behind the LifeChurch.tv Edmond campus. In that process I was able to capture a permanent remembrance of my point of view:
I took this picture of the tornado in the background of the cross, having no clue it would spread & have such an impact around the world.
Why did it have such an impact? It's simple. Because it’s a testament of:
Hope for the hurting. This is so much a time of mourning. And I am so sorry for those who have lost everything, including homes, belongings, and worst of all: loved ones. I am so sorry. The picture does show us something amazing. In the darkest of our times, when it seems like all is lost, the Light of Jesus Christ stands strong. When all other hope is lost, the love, comfort, & presence, of Jesus stands. Strong. Reaching out to us.
The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 'In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.' 2 Samuel 22:5-7
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
Help from the helped. Jesus showed His Love through action. He didn't just talk about it. The cross shows us that. Jesus’ love-filled action of dying on the cross with our sins enables us to be forgiven by His grace when we put our trust & faith in Him. Help through action. The picture of the cross in front of the tornado is also a call to believers around the world to sacrificially serve those affected, like Jesus did for us, by showing God's Love through our actions. We can give: actions, prayers, time, money, anything.
Because when all other hope is lost, we can represent Jesus & that He is here - & He loves all of us - & He stands strong. That is the truth that our actions can show to comfort those who are hurting & in mourning.
When all hope is lost, Jesus stands strong. In love.
My prayers & actions go out to those affected by the Moore, OK, tornado. We are here to help.
How does the picture of the cross in front of the tornado impact you?
How have the tornadoes in Oklahoma affected you?
What would you like to say to those devastated by the storms' paths?
What are you doing to help?
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