The gift of heaven

If you are like me and my family, you were concerned about the storm system that was forecast Dec. 10. To comfort our daughter, who never ignores a severe storm alert, we spent the night in our basement. There were at least 50 tornado reports across several states during this weekend. More than 80 people have died in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

Whether you sustained damage from that event, you probably know someone who did. You may even know someone who died. I have yet to hear from everyone I know from those areas. I have seen many pictures of damage from friends on Facebook. I keep thinking, "What a terrible time of year for this to happen!"

My heart goes out to these people, and I hope that many of us will pray and give so that they may rebuild their lives. When natural disasters occur, some things are lost that cannot be replaced like family photos, and important sentimental items. Someone also mentioned the lost driver's licenses, credit cards, checkbooks and important paperwork that will take weeks and months to replace. It may be a good idea to store those items in one container each night as you go to bed. Maybe it could be the one or two items you grab as you run out of your house or take cover in an emergency?

When tornados strike, places of worship are often leveled along with homes and businesses. Someone might ask why God would allow tragedies to happen. A person may assume that storm damage is punishment or judgment from God. There are people who preach that if you have enough faith, nothing bad will happen to you. What do you tell someone who asks us why God allows such things to happen?

Hours after the storm, I heard someone explain that this tragedy is the result of global warming. The assumption is human beings are responsible for climate change. We want to blame someone when tragedies strike, so who is responsible?

Conservative theologians believe in the Fall of Humanity in the Garden of Eden. After sin entered the world, so did death and destruction. We live in a fallen world, and the earth is not eternal. The planet is changing whether going green will make a difference or not.

In the gospels, we see Jesus perform miracles. He and the disciples were on the sea, and a large storm erupts. The disciples are terrified, and Jesus reprimands them for being afraid instead of having faith. He then rebukes the wind and rain, and the storm ceases. They are amazed that Jesus has authority over nature.

Jesus often healed the sick, and perhaps more than once, fed thousands of people miraculously. But, even when he was on the earth, he did not always do miracles. Jesus did not save himself from the torture and pain of the crucifixion. Instead of preventing his own death, he gave his life as an atoning sacrifice so that you and I could receive God's forgiveness for our sin. See John 10:18.

Would it not have been wonderful if this could be a Christmas without any human suffering? No deaths from COVID-19 or variants, no natural disasters, no accidents, no suicides. What if everyone received lavish gifts and had no more sorrows? All the police, fire, and first responders could have the day off because there would be no crime or disasters.

What we are hoping for is heaven. We want it now, but we are often reminded, as we were on Friday, that this is not heaven.

Think about waiting for Christmas as a child. There are wrapped presents under the tree. We know what we have asked for, but we do not know exactly what gifts we will receive. We have been instructed not to open them until Christmas. No peeking.

God has something wonderful in store for us in heaven, if we will put our trust in him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." The best is yet to come.