The news footage over the past few days combined with his accounts leaves me stunned and thankful nobody died. I only have to think of a twister tearing a path through my alma mater, the University of Missouri-Columbia, to feel a bit of the devastation. It very well could happen, with Missouri in the heart of Tornado Alley.
Yet it is one of life's great ironies that the worst events bring out the best in us. As Professor Beverly notes:
The spirit and camaraderie and the encouragement spreading throughout this campus is nothing short of astounding. You know by looking in every direction how massive the job will be to rebuild Union. Yet, people have the most upbeat spirit and we are all reinforced and energized by scores of volunteers who are coming with work teams to assist with the cleanup. Some were here Saturday from as far away as Michigan. We don't know them. But we know the kind of people they are merely from the fact they are here.
We gathered on the parking lot of the administration building at 9 a.m. for prayer and encouragement from our president, David S. Dockery. At that point, I looked up and saw 20 of our communications alumni from the last decade. I absolutely lost it. Some of them came from as far away as Little Rock. To think that they thought enough of their years at Union to make a long journey at their own expense to help us overwhelmed me.The tornadoes, the destruction, and the deaths across the South -- none of those things were of God, even though insurance companies call them "Acts of God" out of a lack of understanding about the forces of good and evil. But the real Acts of God are the love, teamwork, and support of students and faculty as they rebuild -- the Holy Spirit in action. Union University's students are learning the greatest lessons of their lives in these next weeks, the ones they didn't sign up for, didn't pay tuition for, but will shape the rest of their lives.
God is great.
2 comments:
Hello Chris and all,
Patience and humility...
You speak the words but do not see nor hear them, thereby stumbling blind in the midst of light and freezing from the heat...
Perhaps you have misinterpreted the true meaning and import of this event and others. Destruction is not a blessing, and supporting war mongers is "living by the sword." The time for the removal of ignorance is upon us all !!
Be aware that what I say is intended to make people uncomfortable with the status quo so we can finally forge that long promised new path to the future. Here is the chance to truly understand the Creator’s expectations, which do not include money, religion, and politics. The truth will be a bitter pill to many, so remember that patience and humility are wise virtues and repeatedly scoffing in the face of profundity is great folly !!
Here is Wisdom...
Peace...
Dear Seven Star Hand,
I respectfully disagree with your analysis.
What does supporting warmongers have to do with killer tornadoes? Are you implying that we brought this disaster on ourselves through support of the Bush administration's policies? Tell me what disasters we got from support of the Clinton administration. Or Bush I, or Reagan, or Carter, or Ford?
I know Satan looms large in this world, and I know that goes back to that apple in the Garden of Eden and our choice of sin versus obedience to God. But the way I see it, God's protection was still over Union University by the fact that no lives were lost. I don't know what you call that, but I call that a miracle.
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