I hope you stayed safe during the crazy thunderstorm last week. I can’t believe a tornado touched down in Cortland, Ohio, just 20 miles west of my house. I was shocked when my phone blasted a warning signal last Tuesday, announcing a tornado warning for Jamestown, Pennsylvania. Seriously? In January?
It rattled me. After the 1985 EF-4 tornado nearly wiped Atlantic off the map I’ve always taken tornado watches and warnings seriously. Praise God, only a few trees were knocked down by the storm in Cortland. As far as I know, it dissipated before reaching Pennsylvania.
I was safe at home, riding my exercise bike in the basement during the tornado warning, but my kids huddled by their lockers at school, which terrified me. I doubt tucking their heads toward their knees in a squatting position will protect them from a tornado. I think prayer is an infinitely better shield. So I prayed.
After the storm passed and the warning expired, I thought, Well, that was a lot of stress over nothing.
Or was it? Maybe I and hundreds of others prayed that storm away. Maybe it would’ve ravaged Cortland and struck Kinsman, Ohio, Jamestown, Greenville, and further east, until it dissolved, as tornados do. Maybe God changed his mind.
The Bible says that God does change his mind. He doesn’t change; He relents. For example, when the king and people of Nineveh repented after Jonah announced their city would be destroyed in 40 days, God gave Nineveh a reprieve (Jonah 3:10). I’m not saying God planned on demolishing Cortland, Kinsman, or Jamestown, but God will show mercy when people pray for forgiveness and their hearts do an about-face.
He didn’t annihilate all the Israelites in the desert with fire and serpents when he’d had enough of their griping and disobedience. Why? Because Moses prayed for them. See Numbers 11:2 and 21:7. For more examples of God changing His mind, read Amos 7 and Joel 2:12-14.
Prayer is such a mystery. Why would an all-knowing, all-powerful God alter his course based on a person’s request? It really baffles me. I know connecting with God through prayer is something He craves, though. And I can attest that my sense of peace is linked to my prayer life and devotional time. Putting God first in my day, reading my Bible, spending time with Him, and praying always calms my mind.
When I procrastinate my time with God to take an early morning walk, go to an appointment, or whatever, I’m anxious all day. Even though I perceive this, I still put God off sometimes. I’m not proud of this. Putting God first requires daily discipline.
But no matter how hard I am for perfection, I’ll never get there. God accepts that. But perfectionism has proven a tough habit to break.
Maybe I ought to pray for God to help me aim for a little outside the bull’s-eye. What do you think?
Now that it looks like winter outside, if you’re looking for a way to warm your heart on cold days, there is a community luncheon for anyone 55 or older at North Salem United Methodist Church from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, January 24.
Sheakleyville United Methodist Church is hosting a soup sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on February 2. Sounds like a good meal on a winter day.
A correction from last week’s West Fallowfield story: Irene Howick isn’t the temporary treasurer at the Fallowfield Fire Department; she’s the elected treasurer.
Have a wonderful week. Blessings!