Terrible, terrible things have happened in North Carolina and Tennessee. Even as Florida has been attempting to clean up after hurricane Helene, a bigger and stronger tornado will be striking the West Coast of Florida with more vengeance. Those buildings and properties that were spared by the first hurricane could likely be decimated by Milton. Though many people fled for safety, all that they had and all they left behind could likely be turned into piles of nothing.
Our prayers are needed for those still trying to recover and those who will be facing further devastation. In the mountains of North Carolina people have been trapped with no food, water, or means to call out for help. They cannot even drive from the mountains because the roads have been ripped apart. Likely the bodies of the victims from the storm will not be recovered because they are buried under mud or have been swept away by the waters. This weather catastrophe is more than our worst nightmare!
The words that Jesus spoke in Matthew 10:28 bring all this horror into an even greater perspective. He said, “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Survivors from previous weather events have often been quoted that they are grateful to be alive because what they lost was mere things. Things can be replaced but not people.
The words of Jesus when applied to the results of hurricanes striking our cities remind us that the most important concern is that we have a right relationship with God. In that perspective, it matters little that possessions are washed away when compared to the consequences of losing one’s soul to hell. What Jesus said and what our weather experts are warning is a trumpet call for the proper perspective, for self-examination of our spiritual condition. In short, it is better to lose everything we own than to be unprepared for eternity.
Christian Writer 