Scott Kamps
We dodged a bullet last weekend, when the predicted big snow/ice storm turned into nothing but a wet weekend.
It’s natural to be grateful when we avoid potential disaster, but with the digital noise in our screen-addicted, fast-paced culture, we tend to forget to slow down and give thought to what our experiences point us to.
Our culture preaches in songs, movies and various other ways that “you can do anything you set your mind to.” While that can commendably encourage people to challenge themselves to do difficult things, it’s often used to mask our limitations – in order to “build self-esteem.”
There’s some value to positive thinking, but the idea that we can do anything – if we just believe – is hogwash.
When my oldest son was around 16, he barely weighed 100 pounds. Further, my wife is petite and I’m not a big guy. I told him that no matter what he dreamed, he’d never be an offensive lineman in the NFL.
If you think I was being a doubter – denying his potential – I’ll give an indisputable example: if he’d gone to the public school I might’ve felt compelled to teach him that, as a man, he could never get pregnant.
We tend to ignore our limitations – even obvious ones. The weather exposes our limits as human beings. While we can control or manipulate much through technology, we’re helpless when it comes to the mastery/control of storms, hurricanes or extremely-cold temperatures. This exposes our “modern conceit:” the idea that people in the past were powerless, but now we’re powerful.
We can indeed do many great things that people in the past couldn’t: split the atom, take MRI or CT scans and explore outer space. But it’s a humble reminder of our finitude to think that if Adam and Eve were here when Hurricane Helene came through, we couldn’t do anymore than them to control or divert the storm.
Christians recognize the Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Because He’s made the Earth for man, it appears to be intelligently and uniquely designed to sustain life. It’s fallen now, and isn’t always favorable for the health and happiness of humanity – or even our survival at times.
But, the world is not some vast machine running on mindless laws: it’s still a theater for God’s wonders.
Job 37:10-13 says, “By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world. Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.”
Often, we’re quick to complain about bad weather or blame God for natural disasters – but are we thanking Him for His mercies last weekend?
Do we praise God for the millions of life-sustaining providences that happen every single day?
Scott Kamps writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, thestableguy@frontier.com.