Jesus InsideThe Tornado
Most people who know me well know of the uncontrollable fear that once controlled me I was terrified of storms. It was an obsessive all-consuming fear that completely ruled my life.
To make a story that is much too long, that went on for much too long, short, Jesus took away that fear.
In a dream one night He appeared in a tornado that I knew for sure was going to take my life. Instead of taking my life, that tornado with Jesus inside gave me life, a new life, free from fear.
The dream was about four years ago now. I have never known such great peace as I know now. To be able to look at lightning in the sky and see it for its beauty instead of looking at it with a foreboding feeling of dread and terror of the storm the lightning is sure to bring is the ultimate feeling of true deliverance from fear.
One funny thing (if there could be one) about the uncontrollable fear I had of tornadoes was my fearlessness concerning other things. When I was young I had another obsession, not a fear of, but a love of fairs and carnival rides. The bigger, the faster, the higher, the more dangerous the ride was, the better. I rode them all without fear. I dreamed of a lifetime career traveling with the fair. Thank God and my mother for stopping that. It is amazing looking back that I could go from a thrill ride to a storm house in five minutes flat if the sky above the ride should get to looking kind of dark and threatening. If there were a comparison study available, I am sure the chances of being killed on an unsafe, uninspected thrill ride with a traveling carnival, are far greater than a tornado dropping out of the sky and bringing about my demise.
Reading this I suppose you are wondering where is the connection between Jesus in the dream in the tornado and a tornado being in Jesus. No, I don't have scripture for that, but I do have a recent experience for that. Last week I went to a conference at Making Jesus Real Church. The church was once a combination, game and amusement facility, and skating rink. The skating rink is now the official home of Jesus. I am sure He was also there when it was a skating rink before it was a church, but the world probably didn't recognize it as His residence at that time.
Inside the church, there is still subtle and not so subtle evidence of what this building once was. The obvious sign is the layout, the size, the lighting. The not so subtle is leftover arcade games and the clearest evidence of all, a carnival ride. I am not talking a kiddie ride, or a merry go around. This is an actual adult size carnival thrill ride. When I was a child this ride was usually called the Octopus or the Spider. The arms have three separate cars at the end of each. As the whole ride rotates the cars also rotate separately and move up and down as they spin.
The first day we just kind of glanced at the ride and thought it was neat to have something like that inside a church. Christianity isn't dull and boring. It's a great ride to be on.
As we were registering the second day I noticed the name of the ride inside this Jesus church. The name of the ride was the Tornado. Therefore, the tornado was inside Jesus.
I think God directed me there to that church with the tornado inside to remind me of the fear He had taken from me. I think He was trying to show me that my past, no matter how confusing and fearful it was at times, is meant to be used to make me smile sometimes, and also to share and help someone who is going through some of the fear that once controlled my life.
Today if there are things in your past that you think have no possible use to benefit you in any way whatsoever in your walk with Jesus, think again. He might use something from your past just to make you smile at the freedom you now have on this thrilling ride you are on with Jesus at the controls.
Today spin around a little and smile Jesus is inside of you and you are safe inside the
loving arms of Jesus.
It is truly great to experience the joy of seeing old storms in a different light when we are inside Jesus Christ and also to see Jesus Christ' light shining through in new storms that form in our lives.