Disaster Tourism

In December 2007, in my home town of Tulsa, we had a very bad winter storm that rocked the entire city.  The ice from freezing rain gathered thick and heavy on trees and power lines, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands.  After the ice melted and the power was restored, the evidence of the fierce storm lingered for months.  It seemed like every tree in Tulsa was snapped in half.

Spring in Oklahoma usually starts around mid-March. While the warmer weather did come around the usual time that year, the flora and fauna had a harder time coming around than usual. I was really afraid that the storm had killed off all the trees and that spring and summer would end up being just as barren as winter that year.

As the weather turned warmer I made an effort to spend more time outside. I started taking bike rides up and down Riverside Drive to enjoy the not-quite-as-cold weather and get some much needed exercise. It was on one of these rides that I saw something amazing. There was a tree by the river whose top half was almost completely broken off. The top of the tree hung off the trunk at a 45 degree angle. The limbs that would normally be reaching towards heaven were now dragging the muddy ground. The break in the tree exposed huge splinters and twists in the wood; but these things are not what made the tree amazing, as it looked like most of the trees in town at the time. The amazing thing was that the limbs of the tree were completely covered in thick, green leaves.

“For a tree there is always hope. Chop it down and it still has a chance– its roots can put out fresh sprouts. Even if its roots are old and gnarled, its stump long dormant, at the first whiff of water it comes to life, buds and grows like a sapling.” (Job 14:7-9, The Message)

Hard times can sometimes hit us, just like that storm hit Tulsa, when we are off our guard and unprepared. The damage of emotional or physical pain, the death of a loved one, sin, or even just our circumstances can be significant and long lasting. It can scar us, leaving its mark for everyone to see… but all of those things can’t stop the abundant life that God has given us any more than that storm could stop the coming of Spring. God’s love is stronger than any adversary or problem, and nothing can stop its arrival.

Just like there is always hope for a tree cut down, there is always hope for God’s people. No defeat can stop God from loving us.