THERE IS NO MOTHER NATURE!

Romans 1:20 - For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and Divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Wow, what a weekend this was! From the tornadoes in our southeast to the marriage of Prince William and Catherine in London to the beatification of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican to the death of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. Can you say overload and do you think God was not aware of it all? He continues to lay the groundwork for some huge Master plan.

We saw the disasters of the tornadoes. As I got myself caught up last weekend I heard a report from someone who tried to explain these weather phenomena from a scientific point of view...global warming. However, God is in control of our weather. Psalm 42:7 describes whose weather it is: Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me.

Some might say it's about judgment on our country. It could be. I'm just saying that He could be showing all people His power. He is showing us Himself. There should be no excuse for anyone not to see the presence of God through nature. He declares this Himself, above in Romans. He knows He will be sending His Son back to this earth one more time. He has tried repeatedly to get our attention, just like He did with Israel in the Old Testament...to get us to notice Him, trust in Him, follow Him. When are we ever going to get it right? But then all throughout our 6,000 years of human life there have always been some who have resisted acknowledging Him. What is it going to take to get people to recognize Him when He shows us Himself every day?

We need to open our eyes and don't you wish that's all I had to say!!

On Fox News I cringed when I heard one of the morning news broadcasters with a sympathetic look on his face say something about Mother Nature. It just stabs at my heart when I hear this. THERE IS NO MOTHER NATURE, people!! But there is an all powerful God who has hung the stars in the sky and has named each one of them. Wake up and smell the coffee, then go out and take the time to smell the roses! Notice everything around you and thank God for the opportunity to see His splendor right before your eyes.

If this is God's attempt at showing people who He is so they will recognize Him in the midst of these storms, I hope they are seeing Him. These people devastated by loss of home and worse yet, family, have probably come to a realization that they are at a bottom of their lives. They are defenseless and incapable of doing little on their own for a time. This is when the Lord Jesus Christ wants to step in and bring us up out of the pit and show Himself as the ONLY hope in this life.

We are not to cling to the things of this world. Moth and rust can destroy them but the things of God are forever and much more precious than gold and silver...even our Creative Memories photo albums or accessories or all the things we think we need to make our lives simpler. The simple reality, which is hard to get our distorted minds around, is all we need is Jesus. Without Him we are nothing and we have no security when all is said and done in our lives.

Where we end our days is what is important, not all that we have clung to so tightly. Oh, God allows us to have nice things in life, but we should be able to tell ourselves that if we didn't have this we would make due. Can any of us truly, with every ounce of our being, do that? I would guess that most people who have something of value would find it hard to give it up.

These people who have lost all they owned will rely on others to help them through this time. They will be taken in, clothed and fed. That shows the care, concern and resolve of others. Thank God for people who are willing to help. It's as it should be. They will bounce back slowly with a new home and new things. Bouncing back is strengthened even more when there is a strong reliance on Jesus...our burdens may be heavy but His yoke in our lives makes them light.

Where will people put their trust? Faith and trust in Jesus is something that takes time to develop. It doesn't always come overnight. It's probably why His Word, back in Isaiah 55:6, says to seek Him now while He can still be found and call on Him while He is near.

These people who have survived this disaster still have another chance to seek the Lord. I've heard an occasional person on the news say the Lord got them through. Oh, how I love to hear that! God wants us to let go of anything that gets in our way of knowing Him. How are we faring who have not seen this type of disaster? What do we need to let go of? Will He have to go to extremes or will we voluntarily let go? I think it can work both ways for anyone.

Prayers go out to these people that their lives can be recovered. Prayers are even stronger that if they do not know the love of Christ, that they are met face to face with Him in their time of need. Let the knowledge of Him be realized.

I'm so thankful that He meets us where we are, often in a time of brokenness, and reveals Himself to us. I'm so thankful that He does not leave us where we are but takes us to such heights in our lives...as well some valleys...and even in the valleys He is with us and continuing to work in us. He never wants us to remain the same but to daily begin to grow more and more into His likeness, to conform to His image...something He will do in any person who calls on Him, receives Him as Lord and Savior and follows Him. He's here for all people.

He is here now awaiting the decision in the hearts of those who have not given themselves over to Him. If He needs to use the weather, then go for it, Lord! Take notice. If a storm enters your life, He may be calling you to trust in Him. Don't ignore that call. He loves you that much... Use today's time to begin to take notice of Him. Thank Him for a hint of the knowledge of Him.

1Timothy 2:3-6 - ...for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time...