The Hand of God 

   As I sit here in Ocala Florida watching the updates on Hurricane Ian I am again reminded that we are not in charge.  Over the last few days weather forecasters have done their best to determine where this storm was headed in an effort to warn those in its’ path.  However, external influences, such as changes in prevailing winds, have necessitated several updates to those predictions.

   We seem to believe we can predict the weather not only for today, but far into the future.  In reality, our climate is determined by the plan of God, it is He who sets the winds in motion, it is His creation that answers to Him and Him alone.  We are essentially just along for the ride.

   Changes in our climate have occurred repeatedly throughout history and such changes will continue.  Since the beginning there have been droughts and floods, ice ages and periods of excessive heat.  The world is not a static place, but one of great change.  And the change is at the will of God, not man.

   Our ability to better predict storms and other acts of nature has increased with better understanding, but we will never fully understand nature and all that implies.  Try as we may we will never control nature, nor can we, with any certainty, predict what changes might come in the future or even tomorrow.

   Psalm 104 speaks of the majesty of God’s creation, giving all praise and glory to Him.  It is God who created, and it is God who is in charge.  Eventually, at a time of His choosing, the heavens and the earth as we know them will pass away and He will make all things new.  Until then, let us do our best to properly steward all He has created.  But may we never forget that it is God’s creation.