Perspective

It's hard to write about the hurricane. I've been in one (a minor deal named Erin back in 1995). My parents went through a few more after I moved. My mom has survived Ivan and Dennis in Pensacola, FL. So I know what happens, and what the aftermath can be. If you haven't been there, it's hard to imagine.

When I go home, I still see the effects of Ivan. You can see straight through to the ocean in places where there used to be only trees. Restaurants I loved to go to don't exist any more. And Ivan was minor compared to Katrina. The damage was bad, but nowhere near the scale we've seen in this storm.

Dr. Russell Moore can relate. He's from Biloxi. And he's got an interesting perspective on hurricanes in general.

The Psalmist reminds us that God originally put all things under the feet of Adam (Psalm 8:6). But the writer of Hebrews reminds us that we do not yet see all things under the feet of humanity (Hebrews 2:8), although we do see a crucified and resurrected Jesus (Hebrews 2:9). The apostle Paul likewise reminds us that the creation itself groans under the reign of sin and death, waiting for its rightful rulers to assume their thrones in the resurrection (Romans 8:20-23). The storms and the waves are one more reminder that the "already" has not yet been replaced by the "not yet."

So, amid the noisy voices of those who are convinced that God is judging the US (and apparantly taking it out on thousands of innocents as well -- don't get me started on that idiocy), we can see whose fault it is.

Our own. We had it made, and we blew it. And we can't blame Adam and Eve, because if our history has shown us anything, it's that we wouldn't have done things any better than they did. Once, we were masters of all of creation, put in charge by God Himself. But we rebelled against God, and lost our authority.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21 ESV)

If Katrina can teach us anything, it's that we are not in control anymore.

Posted by Warren Kelly at September 1, 2005 04:33 PM | TrackBack