Hi, welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host for the daily challenges.  This week’s topic is part of our series called God Is… where we’re trying to learn about God’s character and nature through some key stories in the Bible.

Our daily challenges are meant to help you explore what it means to follow Jesus, even if you don’t have a lot of time. We have a rhythm that keeps us in sync, even if we’re not a community that meets together in person regularly. Every Monday we introduce the week’s idea. Every Tuesday we study it in the Bible. Every Wednesday we see how that challenges and transforms our thinking on the topic. Thursdays we try to apply and live it out. Friday is a day for prayer and reflection before we take a rest on Saturday, and Sundays we meet together with others in community.

 

What is the most powerful thing you’ve ever seen?

I recall a vacation in Cuba several years ago, when two days before we were scheduled to leave, a hurricane passed close to the island.  It didn’t hit us directly, but the power of the storm was still incredible.  I’ve seen thunderstorms before, but this was far more powerful.  The wind seemed to be driving the rain sideways.  I shot a crude video of the trees bending and debris flying by.

Those in the eye of the storm surely had it much worse.  The destruction these storms can cause is incredible.  Sometimes they compare the strength of a storm to the strength of a nuclear bomb.  The power of a natural phenomenon far outstrips the most powerful and destructive devices humanity can imagine.

The effect of this is to make us feel small.  We can get through much of life acting as if we are powerful ourselves, strong and in command of our lives.  But a raw display of power reminds us how there are larger forces at work in our lives; it’s not all about us.  For some, this is terrifying and discouraging, but for others it’s an opportunity to remember God’s power over all of our lives.  He was always more powerful than us, but sometimes it takes a powerful reminder to make that alive.

Question: What is the most powerful thing you’ve ever seen?