When I was a young boy, we were living in central Texas, 180 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. But we had lots of family members who lived right at the coastline in the city of Corpus Christi. I had two grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all there. In August of 1970, when I was 13 years old, those Corpus Christi grandparents took us on a bit of a road trip in their station wagon (yes, it looked liked the Vacation movie station wagon!) and off we went to New Mexico to enjoy the cool southern Rocky Mountains and escape some of the August dog days of summer Texas heat. While on this trip we caught some news about a hurricane that was brewing out in the Gulf of Mexico that was soon to be named Hurricane Celia. I remember my grandfather calling his other son, (my dad’s younger brother), to find out if it was something we should worry about and what its impact on Corpus might be. I distinctly remember that my uncle Jimmy told him to not worry, it was a small storm that would likely not amount to much. But as often hurricanes do, the proceeding 48 hours turned that squall into a deadly storm and then like a bullet, it took straight aim at Corpus Christi, and the homes of those family members. Some of the winds were clocked at 160 miles per hour once it landed.
We turned the car around and we drove non-stop back to Corpus to witness a devastation that was beyond description. I have distinct memories of a huge church building that looked like only bookends as the whole middle was gone. When we drove up to my aunt and uncle’s house there was an entire roof that once belonged to their neighbor sitting in their front yard. My grandparents had some country property of about 5 acres and when we drove up the pile of limbs and debris was at least 8 feet high.
But it was the giant oak tree that became the most amazing story. A gentlemen who had been there on their property during this storm said that as hurricane Celia came in, he watched this giant oak trees slowly bow down to the ground in submission to the battering winds, and during that first wave of the storm it went flat on the ground. THEN… the eye of the storm came over and all was calm. But hurricanes are fascinating storms. Once the eye passed over, the hurricane force winds blew from the opposite direction (you should all know that hurricane winds blow circular motion!). Something amazing happened to that flattened tree. The winds blowing now from the other direction lifted this tree back upright! With all the other massive destruction that occurred all around them, that remarkable tree didn’t just survive the storm, but it flourished in the years ahead. It still does today! Patty and I saw the tree not that many years ago. It was crushed and defeated, but it rose to live on.
Is there a point in this hurricane story and the oak tree that relates to Easter?
John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die”
Hebrews 10:19 ‘Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…
The literal resurrection of Jesus changes everything about everything when we trust in Him.
Life has many unknown dark clouds out there. There are things on the horizon that we just cannot predict. This brings us an obvious insecurity and uncertainty. And for many it is like a looming dark hurricane sitting out off the coastline just waiting to attack.
But here’s what we can Know for sure. We can KNOW GOD in Jesus Christ, who brings us life… defeats death, and allows us to enter the place of rest with God Almighty. This is not just a power of positive thinking, it is a fact that we can totally bank on in our lives.
Because of Easter, we can totally trust in Him. Our lives can be described with adjectives such as “confidence,” “assurance,” “security,” “boldness,” “hope,” “unwavering.” How is this possible?
Hebrews 10:23 “for HE who promised is faithful.”
This is our Easter message.
As you come to this Easter Sunday to worship, here’s where to read Scripture as you prepare:
- Hebrews 10
- Any (or all) of the Gospel stories of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus
- Matthew 27-38
- Mark 15-16
- Luke 23-24
- John 19-21
Happy Easter.
I will see you this Sunday!
