|
Jesus taught us God "sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."3.131 The storms of life encourage us to slow down and to recognize and to become in tune with natural processes. In effect they put out the fire, by redirecting us to take care of our own and to help others. Surely this is part of the message of wind storm which caused the disciples to fear they would perish in their little ships on the Sea of Galilee.3.132 Scientists and the religious and all of us have storms which come into our lives. Science does not provide the kind of peace accompanying the times our spirit resonates with the words "Peace, be still."
The early Saturday morning peace accompanying seeing multiple 80 foot tall and 2-3 foot diameter pine trees broke off at a height of about 12 feet, laying randomly across a yard, knowing the good family living in this house, and learning only one of the trees made a glancing blow against the Bishop's car port was one of those moments of peace for me. There is no doubt in my mind this scene was more than an accident of nature, and more than a coincidence. Especially since I have come to see how regularly these types of "coincidences" occur, and in completely unrelated circumstances.
Our team spent that Saturday working with the National Guard to hand out food and water and basic necessities to folks who drove through the mall parking lot and loaded their cars. We got back to Houston just after the Latter-Day Saint's Annual General Conference Priesthood Meeting started. As we sat down, I wrote down the following notes about what was said regarding what was happening along the Gulf Coast:
|
"This is not the punishment of the Lord. This old world is not a stranger to calamity. The 24th Chapter of Matthew warns us of our time. There was unimaginable destruction in the America's at the Savior's death. The plague of the 14th century took millions of lives. In 79 AD Pompeii was destroyed. Chicago burned. San Francisco had an earthquake at the turn of the century. The hurricane of 1900 in Galveston. The terrible tsunami earlier this year. "For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, lightening, tempests, waves heaving beyond their bounds." The tsunami and hurricanes heave themselves beyond bounds. In Sudan there are many killed and homeless. The end is not yet. Expect more calamities in the future. It was not raining when Noah built his ark. If we are prepared, we will not be afraid."3.133
|
|
paradoxes