Awesome Power!

May 18, 1980 was the day of an AWESOME event I will never forget. We lived in Winlock, Washington while I was working with the church in Toledo, Washington. These two towns are across the freeway (Interstate 5) from each other. The overpass which crosses Interstate 5 between the two towns was a great vantage point from which to watch Mt. Saint Helen's spew steam. We happened to be crossing that overpass the Sunday morning of May 18, 1980 just as the mountain blew, sending ash high into the air, causing one side of the mountain to slide down into what had been beautiful Spirit Lake, and then giving us an awesome display of lightening shooting through that hot ash plume which was heading toward us. However, the ash plume went high enough to be caught by winds which took it the other direction. It was a spectacular display of power as well as devastation to the areas hit by the hot blast and covered by the massive mud flow that went down through the Toutle River valley. The following Sunday, May 25, was the second major eruption which this time left us waking up to pitch dark as the ash fallout blocked out the sun's light.

Events such as this tend to cause us to sit up and take notice. There is AWESOME POWER in this Creation God brought into being and placed us in. But the power of nature displayed that day is still nothing compared to God's power to change our lives and redeem us for eternity! Therefore, it is in Him we continue to trust to see us through this life -- whatever we might experience. He has the POWER and it is MOST AWESOME!

The Psalmist wrote:
“(1) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(2) Therefore WE WILL NOT FEAR though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, (3) though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” ( Psalm 46:1-3 ESV)

Find comfort in the fact we serve an AWESOME GOD who has AWESOME POWER and loves us with an AWESOME LOVE that extends to us AWESOME MERCY and an AWESOME GRACE that makes us the recipients of AWESOME PROMISES! What an AWESOME THOUGHT!

Have an AWESOME DAY!
Carl

(original date sent: 5/18/1998, but Scripture reference has been changed to
ESV)

See other teEn-MAIL on God's Strength