Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“The Spiritual Weather Alert System!”
“To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.” – Proverbs 8:4

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” – Matthew 5:43-45

April 10, 1979. An F4 tornado rips through Wichita Falls, Texas—58 fatalities. A third of the city reported damages. May 3, 1999, a series of tornadoes swath a path through southern and eastern portions of Oklahoma City with one of them reported to be an F5. 38 people lost their lives and at that time was the most expensive in terms of property damage to date. April 27, 2011; cities and people in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia experience what could be the largest single daily outbreak of tornado activity ever. Over 200 people in five states lost their lives—property damage extensive—and what could be the most unsettling, the loss of the sense of security that millions had enjoyed up to that day.
The same could be said for the people of Japan just hours before the earthquake and tsunami that devastated that Country. Life was going well. And then…boom! Everything changed. The earthquake in Haiti that to this day still impacts thousands.
As I write this the East Coast of the United States has been brought to standstill as a result of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy. New York City has been practically shut down!
First of all let me state categorically that I am not nor have I ever been a “doomsday” kind of guy. I do not assign apocalyptic significance to all of the disasters happening around us. It bothers me somewhat that there are those who apply God’s wrath to practically every natural disaster that occurs. If that were the case then every tornado would touch down in highly populated areas. However, according to the National Weather Service, hundreds of tornadoes each year go unreported because they touch down in unpopulated areas. How about all the property damage? Okay…as the world’s population continues to grow, and it is growing…the probability that a natural disaster hitting a highly populated area, be it earthquake, hurricane, tornado, etc. continues to grow. It’s going to happen!
The bottom line to all of this: there is no such thing as total security. Being a Christian is no absolute guarantee that tragedy or crisis will not find you. I believe that I can say with some degree of certainty that in all the examples of disasters above, among those who lost their lives or their homes were men and women whose trust and belief in God was strong.
So what’s the message here? What does all this mean? What lesson is there for us by applying God’s Word to tragedies that no one would have been able to prevent?
Through His servant Solomon, God is calling us all out! His message is universal. His Words and Wisdom are from everlasting to everlasting. So listen up! Always be ready. Be aware that life can turn at a moment’s notice—and when it does, trust in the fact that your life is in His hands! One of my favorite songs is by Contemporary Christian artist, Kathy Troccoli:

Life can be so good, Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day Will bring to where you are Sometimes I forget, And sometimes I can't see That whatever comes my way You'll be with me My life is in your hands. My heart is in your keeping I'm never without hope, not when my future is with you My life is in your hands, And though I may not see clearly I will lift my voice and sing, cause your love does amazing things Lord, I know, my life is in your hands
Nothing is for sure, nothing is for keeps All I know is that your love, Will live eternally So I will find my rest, and I will find my peace Knowing that you'll meet my every need
When I'm at my weakest Lord You carry me Then I become my strongest Lord in your hands My life is in your hands And though I may not see clearly I will lift my voice and sing cause your love does amazing things
Lord, I know, my life is in your hands I trust you Lord; My life is in your hands
Pastor J. T. Carnell