The Aftermath

I was traveling to another town for a meeting the other day. It was a beautiful day and I had an excuse to take one of my favorite routes.

I was riding along enjoying the surroundings when it occurred to me that something wasn't quite right. It was the way the familiar trees looked. Something odd.

I continued on only to notice broken trees. The number of them continued to rise as well and bent and twisted trees.

Then the houses came into view, tarps lining roofs, walls collapsed, debris everywhere.

I then remember the storms that had come through a few days prior.

Tornados. Twisters. Funnel clouds. The results are destruction.

I was wondering if the families were at home. Was anyone hurt? Did they manage to salvage anything? How long would it be before their lives were the same or would they ever be?

Because riding around looking at the aftermath of the storm made me think that even when they rebuild nothing will ever be the same.

The damaged items can never be truly replace all the times, especially if the meant something.

The walls and the roof may get replaced but the memory of the storm will always remain.

Will there be fear when the winds blow in the future? Will their sleep be interrupted by dreams of what happened?

I hate sin. I hate what it does to you. I hate what it does to families and homes. I hate it.

I don't pretend to know what you have going on in your life right now, but I am going to offer some very sound advise to you.

You may think that what you are involved in only involves you and that you are not hurting anyone else.

But, I can see the dark clouds coming in and feel the wind picking up.

Pretty soon you will find yourself in the midst of sin surrounded by the destruction that always accompanies it.

Don't be naive enough to think your choices will only affect you. Just like those Tornados, sin will leave a visible path of brokenness in its aftermath.

And just like after a storm, the clean-up may take a while; nothing will ever be the same.

Sure, you may replace some things, but nothing will be the same again.

If there is a storm of sin on the horizon and the winds of change are blowing through your life, I urge you take shelter on your knees.

Sin has a price tag and we never need to forget.

Jesus, I need you today more than ever. Can you hold me now?