Have you ever had an experience of nearly being in the middle of storm or tornado? Just yesterday while working at the ELCA Church-Wide Assembly downtown Minneapolis, a tornado struck part of the Mpls Convention Center's roof and toppled the steeple cross of Central Lutheran across the street.
I felt a rush of wind and sudden change in air pressure through the doors I was watching at the moment it struck. A young woman ran up to me and said "Mr. Security! A tornado just hit the convention center!" Within minutes I along with a team of workers were hustling people into safe areas inside until the tornado warning expired.
I learned minutes later that a co-worker was walking to her car and was nearly "taken up into the tornado." She grabbed a a pole and clung tightly with her feet in the air. A young man ran to her assistance and helped her to hold on. Bruised, soaked, and shaken, she survived.
The tornado arrived out of no-where, suddenly, with no warning.
What does God have to do with this event? Our God is the Lord of heaven and earth, the creator and shaper of all that is, including nature with all its power and beauty.
Without over theologizing this, as we pastors are want to do, this event did have my co-worker talking about God- something she said she hadn't done for quite a while.
Interesting. A door wide open for witnessing.
Pr. Durk
