The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for May 26th, 2011 10:21 AM
toldailytopic: Deadly tornados: Tragic weather phenomenon or God's wrath? |
A few thoughts, and observations;
The fact that people think it might be God's wrath, indicates a guilty conscience, or a longing for justice. The type of justice that both punishes, and causes men, the survivors of it, to mend their ways.
A different problem arises if one simply takes God completely out of the equation. If the tornado is the result of natural atmospheric conditions and forces, one's death from one of them becomes almost meaningless, and there is nothing, and no one to blame or hold accountable. This leaves one in an existential dilemna.
In that case it almost causes one to want to blame God, to at least give one's death more meaning and purpose.
However in the aftermath, people actually and hopefully discover, it is what one did with their life, and not specifically how they happened to die which gives meaning to them, and either glory to God, or glory to man.
Another way to look at them, philosophically, is that tornadoes are nature's carnivores. Gentler rains in their seasons, bring life to all the earth, both plant and animal. Tornadoes are the hungry carnivores feasting on that life, until they are sated.
I think they more aptly fit the description of Satan, a hungry lion, seeking whom he may devour, and he comes to kill, rob and destroy. As opposed to God, "I come, that you may have life, and have it more abundantly."
As powerful as they are, uprooting trees and uplifting buildings, and man and beast; they are nowhere near as powerful as faith. Has a tornado ever moved a mountain. Not even close to being as powerful as love. The love of which someone willingly dies for another. These tornadoes have taken no willing lovers to their deaths.
God's Son and countless numbers of His loved ones, have died a willing and meaningful life and death, captured by the power of His great love.