Portent of high winds and hail, dark green clouds saturating the western horizon scurry toward Kearney, Nebraska as if on a turbo-charged conveyor belt. The radio weatherman reports sixty MPH winds. Why do I continue my voyage to a college friend’s magnet of rearranging winds—a trailer house? The movie character at whom every viewer screams “Why are you such an idiot!?,” epitomizes me.
My friend Chad greets me outside his house as I park my charcoal grey T-Bird. We examine the impending storm. The immense rain drops descend with escalating frequency. Once inside his home, we pray while oscillating between amazed and worried as the wind exceeds 100 MPH. Large pieces of debris fly down the street.
The walls alternately bow six-inches inward, six-inches outward. I murmur, “Hope this place holds.” Thirty minutes later, winds calm, rain ceases, birds chirp. Destruction layers the landscape.
The following morning this agronomist evaluates cornfields. The damage of each varies dependent upon location, row direction, and hybrid. Hybrids experiencing rapid pre-storm growth suffer the greatest rate of “green-snap,” the stalks snap in two, due to increased plant rigidity. The grain factory separates from the roots that provide uptake of water, nutrients, and physical stability. Causatively, the corn plant and profit die.
Amazingly, these plants produce two to six kernels. An increase of two to six fold occurs from simply hanging on by a thread (John 15:4-5). Sure, this yield dwarfs in comparison to healthy corn plants exceeding six-hundred new kernels of corn, a 600-fold increase. Yet the plants whipped around and nearly broken by the forces of the air remain productive.
Today, I strive to reduce my starring role as “Idiot” through awareness of the signs and judging what is right (Luke 12:54-57). Wisdom halts the oscillations to worry, while standing amazed of God’s grace, power, and protection.
When the evil forces of the air seek to whip me around (Eph 6:12), I am susceptible to separating from the roots providing relational nutrients. “Green snap” prevention requires studying God's word, prayer, grace, love, and wisdom increasing understanding to match or exceed intellectual growth.
When the evil forces of the air seek to whip me around (Eph 6:12), I am susceptible to separating from the roots providing relational nutrients. “Green snap” prevention requires studying God's word, prayer, grace, love, and wisdom increasing understanding to match or exceed intellectual growth.
Fortunately, if I connect with a few threads, touching the fringe of Christ’s cloak (Mt.14:36), I too will remain productive amidst destruction. Such as when my dad passed away on December1, 2006, evil forces of the air tempted me with alcohol consumption and doubt.
Fortunately, Christian friends and relatives countered these forces with prayer, conversation, and assuring my daily Bible studies. Their support and engaging the Word provided my remaining productive amidst life’s storms by touching the fringe of Christ’s cloak found in His word--the Bible--and prayer.
Whatever challenges you now face and will encounter, stretch out your heart, mind and soul, even if hanging on by a seemingly thread of Christ's cloak.
See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!
Rick E. Meyer
Running on Faith Ministry Inc.
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
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