Quote from Forum Archives on May 26, 2011, 11:12 pm

Posted by: edwrather <edwrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
Welcome to the 7510 new subscribers since January 1, 2011!!
There were 4010 new subscribers during 2010!!
Classic from 2003

05.26.11

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 (In May 2003) some of us feel like we have been
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, 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 a storm shelter, a basement, a 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 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 © 2003-2011. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
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