Storms East of Eden
On September 27 Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida. It hit the Florida coast at its strongest as a category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. As it crossed the state of Georgia it weakened to sustained winds of more than 96 miles per hour. As it moved into the Appalachian region it had weakened to a tropical storm before stalling out over western North Carolina and Tennessee. Many areas in North Carolina received more than 24 inches of rain over the next 2 days, leading to catastrophic flooding. Entire communities are washed away, landslides and washed out roads cut off many from the resources and help that they need. At the time of writing the storm has killed more than 119 people with more than 200 still missing.
Now, only 12 days later Hurricane Milton is preparing to make landfall in Florida. At its strongest point Milton had sustained winds of more than 180 miles per hour and was the fifth-most intense storm ever in the Atlantic Ocean. The impact on life in Florida is not known yet, but a storm of this intensity hitting the populated coast near Tampa Bay will also be catastrophic.
How are we as followers of Christ to understand storms such as these? If God is sovereign, and if he is gracious and loving then how can he allow such destruction? Why are people allowed to suffer so much? Here are a few reflections to help guide our hearts and minds as we seek to understand storms east of Eden.
1. Storms Are a Reminder of a Broken Creation
We have to see that this was not God’s design. Genesis 2 describes how God planted a garden in Eden and placed his created people in it. It sprung up every kind of food that was good, and we would see in chapter 3 that the Lord God would come and walk among his people in the garden. Man was to work the garden and to keep it, but in it was everything needed for the flourishing of mankind, and there in the Garden God maintained a relationship with his people. Everything was good.
In Genesis 3, when Adama and Eve sinned God issued punishments. To the man in verse 17 he says, “cursed is the ground because of you, in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.” God’s created earth had now been marred by, and bears the signs of sin. By the end of the chapter God drives Adam and Eve out of the garden to the east and places an angel as a guard to stop them from getting back in. Thus, all people are now described as living east of Eden.
When sin entered the world, it brought suffering, death, and chaos. The peace that was found in the garden of Eden was now shattered. The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:22 describes the whole creation groaning together in the pains of childbirth and longing to be restored. All of these things point us to the reality that as we face storms, they remind us that this is not the world as it was meant to be. God did not create the world to be filled with chaos and destruction. Creation has been broken because of sin.
2. Storms Call Us to Long for Redemption
Life East of Eden is marked by difficulty, and storms symbolize the turmoil of a world separated from God’s intended perfection. But as believers, we are called to look forward with hope to the day when all things will be made new. The Apostle John is given a view into the end times when God again dwells with his people in a new creation. In Revelation 21:4 he writes, “[God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
So not only is creation currently broken, but God has promised that because of the redemption found in Jesus Christ, that creation itself will be restored. God has promised a return to peace, this time in a new heaven and a new earth. What God has promised will always come to pass, because he is faithful. Storms east of Eden should cause us to cry out to God, that the redemption he has promised would come quickly.
3. Storms Challenge Us to Trust in God’s Sovereignty
In much of our daily lives it can often seem like we have a pretty good level of control over what occurs. I make my own decisions, and largely things turn out how I expect them to. Then when storms of this intensity move over your city then every bit of your control vanishes in an instant. When viewing the enormity of these Hurricanes, their rain and wind bands stretching hundreds of miles and covering entire regions of our country, our trust in the sovereignty of God can waver.
But, when we turn to God’s word to us we find truths such as these:
“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 109:19).
“What sort of man (speaking of Jesus) is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:27
Sometimes we might be prone to question areas where God’s sovereignty might end, but the word here is pretty clear: his sovereignty extends to the whole of everything, to all. Then Jesus in his earthly ministry demonstrates his authority over the created world by calming a storm with just a word. Elsewhere the Bible describes Jesus as the creator and sustainer of all things. So even in the face of gigantic hurricanes, God is sovereign over that as well. Thus, when facing storms in our lives, we are called to deepen our reliance on God, and we trust in His plan even when it’s hard to see. He has allowed it and in some way his plan brings him more glory, so we trust Him.
4. Storms Lead Us to God’s Presence
When Adam and Eve were exiled from Eden, they were also exiled from the close relationship with God. Sin now separates God from man. Yet, God establishes ways that he would provide redemption. In the Old Testament he would choose for himself a people, Israel, through which he would favor, they would be his people and he would be their God. Yet, the people of Israel would also not obey and because of their sin and rebellion against God he would also send the chosen people of Israel into exile. Yet here this promise made through the prophet Isaiah, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;… for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (42:2-3). Though his people were in exile, God promised to always be with his people, even when the waters would rise around them.
The promise of the New Covenant was that when we trust in Christ for salvation that the Holy Spirit of God would come and dwell with us. That is, there is no longer any way for us to be separated from God. Consider Romans 8:38-39, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Storms are part of the reality of living in a fallen world. So while it is helpful to understand that God is sovereign over all things, it’s also much more personal than that. God does not leave us to face storms alone. He walks with us through every storm, providing strength and comfort. When facing these storms, we should search for and lean into God’s presence with us through them.
5. Storms Invite Us to Extend Grace and Compassion
Living in a fallen world means storms often devastate lives. As believers, we are called to respond with Christ-like compassion and grace to those suffering from the effects of storms. Galatians 6:2 - “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” This was written to the church specifically, but by the law of Christ Paul is likely referring to teaching Jesus gave multiple times to love one’s neighbor. In fact, he summarized the whole of the Old Testament law in 2 commands, love God, and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:34-40).
As we see crises unfolding around us, we have the opportunity to be the literal hands and feet of Jesus as we go and love our neighbors, and meet practical needs. Serving those in need reminds us of our call to reflect the love of God in a world desperate for hope.
Conclusion
As you see the images and the headlines from these storms, be reminded of a few other small things. Modern advancement in technology is a sign of God’s common grace to all. Without the radar, satellite, and many other technologies that are used to understand these storms, a storm like this in the past would have just appeared on the horizon. No one would be able to prepare themselves, or evacuate from the worst hit areas. Now we are able to project and predict its path and severity, which allows the loss of life to be greatly diminished. This is a common God that we should be thankful to God for.
Also, use it as times to pray. Pray for safety, pray for those who will respond and help, pray that God would use these storms to his maximum glory, and pray to ask if or how you should practically meet the needs of those affected.
Living east of Eden means we will face storms. The images we see of the destruction that follows them is a horrific reminder of this. But as followers of Christ, we are not without hope. These storms remind us of the fallen state of the world and the greater story of redemption that is unfolding around us. As we trust in God’s sovereignty, rely upon his constant presence with us, extend compassion, and look toward the promised restoration, we can find peace even in the midst of the storm.
