I Kings 19:11-12

I was in total disbelief, as I stood & looked before me at the massive amount of nothingness that stood between 2 sets of tree lines.  On April 27, 2011, a category F5 tornado hit the small rural town of Smithville, Mississippi.  A couple of weeks later, I stood, with a group of church friends, viewing the devastation that was left behind.  From where we were at, we could see across the highway at an area that was hard hit.  Right there, in front of us, it was as if a huge lawn mower had plowed right through a wooded area., leaving an empty spread about ½ a mile wide.  I looked at the places where houses were no longer at.  But most importantly, I got to look into the faces of many of those who were victims of the tornado.  We were set up at a church building, cooking, handing out meals, giving away necessities to those who were left without.  It was amazing the outpouring of love people from all over the country were sending in way of food, clothing, money, home furnishings, anything you can think of.  Folks were helping in the time of need.

You may ask, but what about the tornado?  What about those who lost their lives?  What about those who lost their loved ones & everything they owned?  Why does God let these things happen?  I have an opinion about all of this.  Stay with me, because sometimes, I know what I am trying to say, however, might take a minute to get there. I am not entirely convinced that God has His hand in everything that happens.  There is another entity that is present on this earth besides God.  That would be the devil. Does the devil have influence over anything?  I would say so.  Look at all the sin in the world.  The killings, hunger, theft, drugs, alcohol, and just pure down right meanness.  That’s not from God. The devil was there when God told him he could have his way with his servant Job.  Actually, Satan declared, that he had been going to and fro on the earth walking back and forth on it (Job 1:7)  He caused a load of trouble for Job, including his family being killed, v. 13, his livestock being attacked & killed v. 15, his servants being burned up, v. 16, he himself was struck with painful boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet 2:7.  Where was God?  Did He not love Job?  Yes, but at the time Satan had his way with him. Job endured to the end, with the devil & he was blessed more than tin the beginning.42:12  God was not in all that happened to Job. Satan was in a lot of it.  Could God have intervened?  Yes, if He had of wanted to.  However, He can’t be in cahoots with Satan.  So, when Satan is having his way, God’s not there.  But ladies & gentlemen, be aware, because Satan is among us daily.

So, what happened with these folks in Smithville after the tornado?  I don’t know about all of them, but I do personally know about one family.  This family lost all their material belongings, in that tornado.  Their mobile home, cars, clothes, anything you can think of. They dug their way out of a church basement once the storm passed thorough.  All they had were the clothes on their backs & each other.     But God had a plan for them.   After it was all said & done, they had a better house than they had ever had.  Since the storm, more people had helped them & got them back on their feet in a way they could not have done for themselves.  They came out of this life changing incident much better than they were in the beginning.  The tornado, that was the devil.  The love & compassion, that was God.  God will always triumph over evil.

Thank you for coming by to visit. Right now I have to go, because I should be washing clothes!