God's Sovereignty Shown in a storm

Psalm 103:13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
14:For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.
15:As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16:When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer.
17:But the loving kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children,
18: to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them.
19: The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.

Last week, the National Weather Service issued a mock tornado warning. When this took place, it immediately reminded me of my favorite biking trail on the shores of Lake Wilhelm, located just a short distance across the Crawford County line off of route 19. It is a multi-purpose trail and is about 13 miles long. About five years ago I was staying with my sister and her husband in the middle of May. It was a warm humid day and the sun was shining. We ate supper and I decided to take one last lap around the lake before we headed for home. I got back about 7:30 from my ride and we headed for home. Before we left the sky was turning black, and there was thunder in the distance. When we got home I watched the news and I found out that there was a tornado along the lake. The next week I went back to do my lap and about three miles down the trail on both sides there was about a quarter of a mile where it looked like someone had taken a giant bowl and scraped out everything in sight. The trees were gone. There was no grass or anything left that was recognizable. The Lord did show mercy and loving kindness to a few homes located on the hill surrounding the lake. It was just a fearful thing to think that I was in that place just about an hour before the storm hit

Since that summer, I have been able to go back and each year the Lord has been doing His creative work to bring this place back to restoration. The first year there was areas where grass was growing and some wildflowers were coming up. A few years later I could see some shrubs and vines growing, last year there were some trees beginning to get some height on them and some of the trees had birds nesting in them. It gave me a pictorial image of the creation story in Genesis where it says God spoke things in existence and they came to be. It also caused me to trust Him more, because now I know that nothing is impossible with God. The last time I was there was in September and it was almost impossible to find the location where this took place, because the newness of life is blending in with the environment that was untouched by the storm.

I believe that is how the Lord works in our lives also. He takes us who deserve death and draws us to Himself until we receive the free gift of salvation. And gradually through the Holy Spirit He teaches us to become more Christlike. It is good to know that our God is a compassionate God and He has made a way that we can have eternal life. It is good also to know that after we receive salvation that nothing in earth, under the earth or above the earth can separate us from that love, not even death. God is teaching me to be patient with others when I share the Word now, because He reminds me that it is Him who will do the work and I have to rely on Him and realize without him I can do nothing. It isn't about me and my ideas, but it's about Him and what He can accomplish in others. Just as He restored my favorite nature trail He is able to restore anybody. I also have to realize that He is also working in me. We may not be able to see all the things He is doing day to day, but with patience and endurance may it give us all the peace that passes all understanding to know that He is working for the good of those who were called according to His purpose.