We had barely started the assembly when it was announced that a funnel cloud was some eight miles to our west and headed in our direction.
Our fellowship broke into two groups and we huddled into a couple of classrooms to wait for what would transpire. We sang hymns and prayed fervently for the Almighty’s protection.
Within minutes the EF4 tornado broke through the northwest edge of our parking lot breaking down power lines, exploding transformers, and scattering debris.
Somehow the dark tempest skirted our vehicles as well as the building itself and we escaped unscathed. Unfortunately, hundreds of home in our area suffered extensive damage and hundreds more were totally destroyed.
When the tornado finally dissipated, it had left a 21- mile path of chaos in its wake.
Our shepherds cancelled the rest of the service, we closed with a prayer of thanksgiving, and then urged everyone to travel to their homes with caution.
A few minutes later, I started making my way home taking the usual trek down 40th Avenue towards Lincoln Avenue.
Barely a block away, I noticed a medium-sized tree on the right that had been toppled by storm. The tree was standing, actually lying, all by itself in a families’ front yard.
Ironically, no less than thirty yards away there was a long, tight line of much smaller trees which were perfectly erect. Not a single one of them had been damaged or uprooted.
The little scene struck me like a hard slap in the face. Even though the singular tree in the yard was much, much larger, and presumably stronger than the saplings nearby, it didn’t have the luxury of numerous other trees to buffer from the effects of the harsh winds.
The snapshot in time reminded me physically of what is true spiritually.
God never meant for any of us to go it alone. He never intended for us to be Lone Rangers and to try to survive life’s storms all by ourselves.
A strong tree left in seclusion can’t withstand 160+ mile an hour winds, but a cluster of tiny hardwoods can brave the same fury because they mutually protect each other by their very presence.
In Romans 1, Paul wrote:
“For I long to see you, that I may impart to
you some spiritual gift, so that you may be
established—that is, that I may be
encouraged together with you by the mutual
faith both of you and me” (Romans 1:11-12;
- 15:24).
It is intriguing to me that the apostle wanted to give the gift of his presence and fellowship so that both he and the Roman brethren would be strengthened and comforted. He was a giant—a spiritual Redwood, and yet he admitted his need for that which only fellow saints could provide.
THOUGHT: If the apostle Paul couldn’t make it in the world all by himself, if he couldn’t navigate the storms of adversity on his own, how can any of us manage to do so by ourselves today? Dear brother, dear sister—are you making regular contact with fellow Christians?
— by Mike Benson