On Feb. 5, a series of devastating tornadoes swept through the mid-south. This amazing picture has been circulating on the internet (often being identified as the one that hit the Hickory Ridge Mall here in Memphis). This may be an older picture taken by Warren Faidley, the famous storm chaser consulted for the movie Twister.
Despite its origins, who can look at this photograph without awe and wonder? When you see the radio tower to the right and realize the size of the funnel, it is terrible in its majesty. No wonder the "whirlwind" is often cited in the Bible to bring a lesson home. Here's one such passage: When your dread comes like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you, then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:27-29). God wants men to look at this picture and imagine the frightful prospect of its arrival. He wants men to think of standing before it in the open, unsheltered and unprotected.
Once that terrifying picture is fixed in a man's mind, then God wants such a man to make this instructive connection: So is the man who doesn't want to listen to God. The man who rejects God's counsel, the man who has no desire to please God, the man who doesn't want to have anything to do with God's wisdom is standing in the path of terror. It will be too late when he reaps the whirlwind - God will not listen to His cries.
There are times when we think we have a better idea, times when we are tempted to "do things my way." Fix this picture in your mind and put yourself in the picture - it will help you see such notions in their proper light. Defying God's guidance is a terribly bad idea.
This post has been edited. The original post reported that this picture was of a recent tornado in Memphis. Thanks to one of our L-W readers for showing me, once again, that it pays to fact check what is flying around the internet. This picture is definitely AWESOME - but I have received reports that it is about 20 years old and was taken by Warren Faidley.
Posted by: Jim Fleming | February 20, 2008 at 11:04 AM
“…a man who doesn't want to listen to God. The man who rejects God's counsel, the man who has no desire to please God, the man who doesn't want to have anything to do with God's wisdom is standing in the path of terror.”
Leviticus 26 is a good reinforcement of the excerpt above. God says in verse 3
and 4, “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them,
then I will give you…” He even says He will dwell and walk among the Israelites.
In verse 14 and 15, God makes a conditional statement, “But if you will not
listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if
your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my
covenant, then I will do this to you:…” Buckle your seatbelts (sevenfold x4 and then some more)!
God’s first verb in v. 14 (not the auxiliary verb, “will”) is “listen”. Listening, moreover, harkening, must be important to God for Him to say it first. His second verb, hence a sequence, is “do”. “Do” means to perform; to execute; to carry into effect. In context, “do” is obedience.
God is perfectly clear! If you (man) do this then I (God) will do this. In other words, God wants us to listen for His voice, then execute His will (obedience) with a contented and joyful heart (Col 3:23). Those of you with children know that this is the desired parent/child relationship. This kind of training is to prepare their heart for a relationship with JESUS CHRIST. Leviticus 26 demonstrates that God is committed to His people. He will not “just let it go.” He loves them too much (Proverbs 13:24; 23:13-14; 29:17). Likewise, we parents should be committed to our children (Pro. 22:6). This is hard work! But it is for the Lord! By way of side note, does anyone else think the U.S. government is subsidizing illegitimate children?
It is important to God that we hearken his voice. God is always up front with man, then and now. God’s discipline in response to our disobedience can be harsh (especially living the American dream). By way of yet another side note, America is past due God’s judgement.
Posted by: Bo | February 20, 2008 at 06:23 PM