Fleeing into a Tempest
Read: Jonah 1:1-16 For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you. (v. 12) It is obviously not wise to run toward a hurricane to avoid a thunderstorm, but that’s just what Jonah did in today’s Bible reading. God told the prophet Jonah to go tell the Ninevites […]
Evacuation Order
Read: Matthew 19:27-30 Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. (v. 29) My phone blared and flashed with the evacuation order. Hurricane Irma was projected to whirl straight up Tampa Bay, causing […]
Yard Debris
Read: Colossians 3:12-17 . . . bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you. (v. 13) Wind damage from hurricanes is often caused by debris snatched up and launched like missiles. When the last hurricane threatened, we quickly inspected our yard and […]
Spaghetti Models
Read: Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow. (v. 34) Once a storm is named, models are made predicting the storm’s path, timing, and wind speed. These are called spaghetti models, because they look like several strands of colored spaghetti. The storm is too far away to know the exact path, so the […]
Named
Read: Revelation 2:12-17 To the one who conquers I will give . . . a new name. (v. 17) When a tropical depression’s winds surpass 38 mph, it’s classified as a tropical storm. At this point, the storm is given a name to uniquely identify it and recognize its potential for affecting lives. That name […]
Tropical Depression
Read: Psalm 42 Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (v. 11) With the right conditions, the thunderstorms in a tropical disturbance can organize and start to circulate around a low-pressure center. It’s then classified as a tropical depression, assigned a number, and watched for further development because […]
Tropical Disturbance
Read: Philippians 4:2-7 The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (v. 7) An Atlantic hurricane begins as a tropical disturbance, often forming off the coast of Africa. These are thunderstorms that span 100 miles or more and last longer than 24 hours. Disturbances are […]
Lackadaisical
Read: Colossians 1:9-14 Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy . . . (v. 11) Hurricane season in Florida spans June through November. From December through May, there is little threat of devastating storms. It’s easy to forget the past hurricane season if we had […]
Storms of Change
Read: Luke 6:46-49 When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. (v. 48) It’s hurricane season in the Atlantic. These massive storms spiral their way across sea and land, and in Tampa, Florida, where I live, they are a very real threat. […]