Moore Tornado
“In love he predestined us for adoption as sons {as daughters} through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:5-10Seems that this week in particular this verse keeps swirling around in my head. Specifically the end of the text…“…to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth….”This letter to the Ephesian church has much to say about God’s plan for His people, a plan that was not even fully understood even in Paul’s day. The earth is a hot mess and brokenness abounds. Tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, shootings, bombings, war, cancer, destruction of all kinds that takes on all shapes and sizes.This past week my hometown, ultimately my parent’s home, was struck by the force of a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. The devastation goes on for miles. Home after home…memory pile after memory pile waits to be sorted through and picked up. To say that life seems disjointed is an understatement. In the wake of so much loss it is hard to unravel the reconciling of how in heaven’s name this chaos goes together. How does it weave into our stories, our lives?
And yet, as my family, along with many others, has allowed our hands and feet to be used we have seen how it goes together..at least in part. Sons and daughters of God united under the purposes of bringing all things IN HIM. The Church is rising and uniting to take the chaos of a Tornado and drag it into the Light as we hug, as we unravel debris, as we cry, as we donate, as we pull together and as we rise up above the ashes the glory of Heaven comes to earth and in part all things come together…but only because we are making them come together IN HIM.Nothing goes together without the glue of Jesus. No storm tossed home, no water washed picture, no death or sickness or emptiness goes together in life – until it comes together IN HIM.Jesus sows wounds together, bound by the grace of HIS scars from the cross.Everything is not as it should be on the earth, but as God’s people – adopted heirs to the Throne of Grace – unite to serve, to love, to give, to join hands and to reveal His heart more things become reconciled.
Peace reigns where there has been a wrecking of brokenness.
Love abounds all the more.
Tenderness envelopes the places where bitterness haunts.
Joy comes rising with the sun.
Slowly….what is out of joint comes pulling together in Jesus.
“Oh afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild your foundations with precious stones.” Isaiah 54:11
