Quote from Forum Archives on May 20, 2003, 6:36 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
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05.20.03

Storm Warning

For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his
distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the blast of
the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. - Isaiah 25:4.

Here in Sweetwater, Oklahoma some of us feel like we have under attack with
two tornadoes in a month's time. One tornado did the most damage at the
school and the second tornado destroyed houses and barns in a large swath
sweeping west to east and then north. When hearing a weatherman warning of
an approaching storm we all pay much closer attention then we would have
only a few weeks ago. Our memories of past storms seem to dim with time and
our response to the storm warnings slow along with our memories. But we in
tornado alley are not the only ones needing an occasional reminder of the
power of the storm.

We are thankful for advanced technology and the diligence and bravery of
many storm spotters who provide us with an earlier warning than was possible
in the past. Most likely there would have been deaths and serious injuries
in Sweetwater if not for the warning system now available to us.

The most deadly tornado (F5 on the Fujita Scale) to hit Oklahoma came on
April 9, 1947 in Woodward. The tornado began near Canadian, Texas and while
moving toward the northeast stayed on the ground for about 100 miles ending
up west of Alva, Oklahoma. It was a huge tornado 1.8 miles in width moving
at about 50 miles per hour. Glazier and Higgins, Texas were first
devastated by the storm with 69 deaths in Texas before reaching Oklahoma.
While missing many towns on the way to Woodward the tornado did strike and
destroy buildings on 60 ranches and farms with 8 people being killed and 42
injured. In Woodward over 1000 homes and businesses were destroyed and 107
people died and there were about 1000 other injuries.

In part because of the Woodward tornado and also because of other storms the
Weather Bureau in 1953 instituted a tornado watch and warning program. In
five decades we have gone from having very little storm detection and
warning to having weathermen on TV with some of the most advanced radar
available. We can also look at different radar sites on the Internet when
information is not available on TV or radio.

With advance warning and advanced knowledge of the dangers of tornadoes most
people do try to find shelter in storm shelter, basement, safe room or an
inner room or hallway. But strangely enough some even when warned still
ignore the storm believing they are somehow invincible or that the odds are
that they will not be hit. In the past I have heard people speak
contemptuously of those who go to a storm shelter as going to their "fraidy
hole." Personally, when I know a storm possibly containing a tornado is
headed for me I'm going to the cellar if there is one for me to go to! God
may very well protect me but why tempt God (Matthew 4:7)?

There is another storm, which is sweeping across this world. It is a
spiritual storm of sin and destruction. We have advance warning and we have
advanced knowledge about the devastating effects of sin. We can ignore those
warnings and see how close we can get to the storm of sin. If we do there
may very well come a time when the storm we are admiring will destroy us
just like the Woodward tornado destroyed so many. It does not have to be
that way. There is a place of refuge from the storm. God, through Jesus
Christ is that refuge. He is the only refuge. Please don't ignore the storm
warnings!!

Copyright © 2003. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited.

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