Grace within the storm: Psalm 107:23-32

If you've been living under a rock, you might not know that one of the most devastating storms recorded in history tore through the country last week. Tornadoes wreaked havoc from Texas to New York. In the span of a four days, over 425 tornadoes were reported. Last Wednesday there were reports of 259 tornadoes across 16 states.

So far, there have been over 340 confirmed deaths across the states affected. Alabama alone accounts for almost 250 of those numbered. Tuscaloosa, AL, was hit the hardest. As of a few days ago, 45 people there have been confirmed dead. Unfortunately, these numbers will only go up.

The firsthand footage of the Tuscaloosa tornado is haunting:


The aftermath is devastating:


Our apartment was untouched. Most of the destruction in the Huntsville area was north of us in Harvest. Transmission lines from TVA into the Browns Ferry nuclear plant were destroyed, leaving 400,000 in Madison County (including us) out of power for several days. A dusk to dawn curfew was placed in the blackout area to prevent looting and promote safety. Our power came on last night after we got home. Besides the hospital, we were some of the first in the area to receive power.

The reason for the power outage:


For me, the whole event is still so surreal. We always think that this kind of thing will never happen to us. Praise God it didn't. We didn't lose any family, property, or memories. We don't have to sift through the rubble to find anything salvageable like wedding photographs. Some are sifting through the rubble to find loved ones. Besides losing power and being unable to go to work for a few days, it barely affected us.

A girl I graduated high school with is dead. Hundreds lost their lives. And we're comfortably back in our apartment being forced to endure the hardship of buying new mayonnaise and milk that spoiled during the power outage. Why would God, in His sovereignty and grace, choose to bless us like this and take the lives of others? I have no idea.

I pray that the weight of what and who has been lost weighs upon you and me today. Let it be a reminder of the destruction that I deserve for repeatedly shaking my fist in the face of a holy God who can, by a word, justly refuse to sustain my life a hour longer. Christians, let this be a call to remember our own sinfulness and praise God for showing us grace and mercy. Let it be a reminder that we are fallen people living in a fallen world.

So, in light of what Christ has done for us, what can we do?
- pray
- give money (Serve Alabama, Red Cross, United Way, church organizations)
- give blood
- go

And show us our part, show me my part. We will not shut our hearts to our neighbors because you open wide your heart to us, Lord Jesus. So very Amen, we pray, in your powerful and tender name. - Scotty Smith