Tag Archives: Tornado

Chapter-a-Day

Warning Sirens

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Warning Sirens (CaD Hos 8) – Wayfarer

“Put the trumpet to your lips!
    An eagle is over the house of the Lord…”
Hosea 8:1 (NIV)

Living in the midwest means living with the threat of tornados. As a kid, you quickly learn the drill when the tornado sirens go off. I remember the thrill of getting woken up by mother and told to scurry to the basement. In school, we regularly went through tornado drills and told where to go within the school in the event of a tornado.

One of the things that has changed over my lifetime has been the proliferation and advancement of technology that allows one to accurately track a storm front from a smart phone. It’s not unusual for the tornado sirens in our neighborhood to sound when the storm front is relatively far away. It’s not uncommon for us to step outside when the sirens sound to check out the storm that is miles away on the horizon for sight of the tornado that tripped the alarm.

In today’s chapter, Hosea begins by sounding the Emergency Broadcast System of his day. Residents with flocks would graze them outside the city walls during the day. If watchmen on the walls spotted danger such as an approaching army or a bird of prey looking for for an easy meal, they would sound the trumpet, or a ram’s horn, to warn the shepherds to get their flocks safely back within the city walls.

Hosea’s metaphor at the start of his message was intended to get the attention of his audience. He was sounding the alarm. There was danger on the horizon because of their own actions:

They had rejected what was good.
They had forgotten God and His law.
They had chosen their own kings without God’s consent.
They had made idols for themselves, breaking God’s #1 command.
They had put their faith and trust in Assyria’s protection, not God’s.
They gave God the occasional offering, but didn’t place their faith in Him.

Hosea then proclaims that the Hebrews “will return to Egypt,” and what is fascinating about this is that it’s a metaphorical double-edged sword. Before they had become a nation, the Hebrews were in slavery in Egypt, so Hosea’s reference means they will be returning to the slavery and exile from which God originally delivered them. But there is also a literal meaning, as their King would go to Egypt to try and cut a better deal. This betrayal of their alliance with Assyria would start the chain of political events leading to Assyria’s wrath and Israel’s exile.

In the quiet this morning, I find myself thinking about tornado sirens and the prophetic Revelation of John in which seven trumpets sound warnings of events on the horizon, much in the same vein of Hosea in today’s chapter. I can’t help but think of what Jesus said to the descendants of Hosea’s audience: “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”

Just this last week I read a fascinating article about the “Moral Inversion” being observed in our culture. Right is now wrong. Wrong is now right. Men are women because they say they are. Women are told to be as silent and compliant as a handmaid when a biological male with mediocre ability claims to be a woman and decimates them in competition. Little children who can’t get a tattoo without parental approval until they’re an adult now have the cognitive ability to go through drastic, gender-bending medical procedures (with life-long consequences) and the educational system will both assist in serving the child up to the medical community for profit while keeping parents in the dark. Teenaged girls are suddenly embracing an ideology that would make them the chattel of male oppressors. Heinous violence is celebrated. Hatred has become fashionable. Evil is good.

To Jesus’ point, when the tornado siren sounds, I know to check the radar. I can discern when it’s time to head to the basement and when I can step outside to view the storm clouds on the horizon. I pray I have the discernment to interpret the signs of the times, to cling to what is true and good, and to stand against evil, even in the midst of the storm.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

Chapter-a-Day

Of Storms and Shelter

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Of Storms and Shelter (CaD Ps 29) – Wayfarer

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
Psalm 29:10 (NRSVCE)

Just a few weeks ago the people of Iowa learned a new vocabulary word: derecho. The straight-line wind storm with hurricane-force winds blew through the state and caused an amazing amount of damage. We had friends who were without power for several days. I’m fortunate that our little town was on the southern tip of the storms and we were largely spared from the brunt of the damage. I did find myself running around our neighborhood chasing garbage and recycling bins that were getting blown around the street, which was fun.

There is something about the power of nature that both reminds us how powerless we are, and reminds us of Power greater than ourselves. Paul wrote to the followers of Jesus in Rome and said:

...from the creation of the world, the invisible qualities of God’s nature have been made visible, such as his eternal power and transcendence. He has made his wonderful attributes easily perceived, for seeing the visible makes us understand the invisible.

Whether it’s standing in awe of the mountains, the ocean, a beautiful sunset, or the ominous threat of a midwest thunderstorm, humanity has always made a connection between the creation we interact with around us and the Creator.

Today’s psalm is a fascinating departure from the repeated song writing pattern I mentioned yesterday. It might be argued that David is describing a derecho-like storm as it blows in over the raging seas of the Mediterranean, blows down cedar trees in the forest of Lebanon, thunders its way south as David stands on the ramparts of Jerusalem and sees the black clouds flashing with God’s pyrotechnic lightning display. The storm moves south into the wilderness and David meditates on the display of the overwhelming power of creation he has witnessed. He finishes the song in wonder of the God of Creation who is the source behind, and enthroned over, such an awesome presentation of intense force.

In the quiet this morning as I write this post, I have very specific memories of storms I’ve witnessed, storms I’ve been in, and storms I survived. I’m actually surprised at how many specific memories I can access from my brain’s hard-drive. Amazing.

It’s a good reminder that along this life journey I am bound to have storms blow through. And not just tornados. There are the storms of relational conflict, sickness, financial loss, unforeseen tragedies, pandemics…there will always be powerful forces I don’t control that will affect my life. I’m reminded that on Wednesday, David’s lyric reminded me that

…[God] will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble

Growing up in Iowa, I learned very early in life that it’s important to make sure you always have shelter from the storm.

That lesson is layered with meaning that has nothing to do with the weather.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

Chapter-a-Day

When Trouble Unexpectedly Blows In

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In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord.
2 Chronicles 28:22 (NIV)

Just a few weeks ago a tornado descended on the small community where Wendy and I live. That day there were some 27 tornadoes that ripped through Iowa. The tornado here in Pella hit a local manufacturing company, wreaking havoc on multiple plants and turning cars in the parking lot into a pile scrap metal. Since it happened in the middle of the workday, it seems to me a miracle that no one was killed. Only a handful of people were injured, and none seriously.

In the weeks that have followed, it’s been fascinating to watch the community mobilize. The business that took the brunt of the damage is already in the process of rebuilding. Churches and charities are working with those in need. In a time of unexpected trouble, I can see the strength and faith of our community and its people. We’ll be alright.

Along my journey I’ve observed that times of trouble and unexpected tragedy are windows into Spirit. When trouble and tragedy unexpectedly descend like a tornado and blow through our lives, our response reveals what kind of spiritual foundation lies beneath the surface of our lives. It makes known how deep our spiritual roots descend into Life’s soil.

In today’s chapter, the story of King Ahaz reads like a spiritual tragedy. Not only does Ahaz not follow God, but he seems willing to follow any god, any time, any where. He goes from god-to-god sacrificing and paying tribute. When trouble hits Ahaz reaches out to Assyria for help, only to be double-crossed. Ahaz dishonors some of the articles of Solomon’s temple to try to buy his way out of trouble. It doesn’t work. When defeated by Damascus, Ahaz worships their gods in hopes that it will help. It doesn’t.

Ahaz is so willing to believe anything that his troubles reveal that he believes nothing. He has no spiritual roots. He has no foundation. His life was one of constantly grasping for anything only to be left with nothing. He was such a tragic failure, that the people of Judah refuse to entomb Ahaz’s dead body with the other kings.

I’m reminded this morning of how James put it: “the one who doubts is like the wave of the sea, blown about and tossed by the wind.” I’m also reminded of how the Psalmist contrasted the righteous and the wicked in the lyric of Psalm 1. The righteous are described as strong trees with deep roots that continually produce good fruit and don’t wither in trouble. The wicked, however, are like dust blown helplessly in the wind.

On this life journey, I believe almost every one of us will experience trouble and tragedy unexpectedly descending into our lives like a tornado. In that moment, I find out what kind of spiritual roots I’ve developed. If my roots go deep then I will weather the storm, get back to work, and come through the experience even stronger. If I have no spiritual roots then I think I’m going to be more like Ahaz, blown about, grasping for something, anything to hold onto.

(Thanks to everyone who reached out to make sure Wendy and I were alright. We live on the opposite side of town from where the tornado struck and were not in harms way.)