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| In this photo, Mark Norton places flowers on the Webb City, Mo., grave of his son Will Norton, who died a year ago on the way home from his high school graduation when an EF5 tornado tore through Joplin, Mo. (AP Photo) |
That was Will Norton's last message on his Twitter account. A year after an EF5 monster tornado roared through Joplin, Missouri, no one wants to erase that message. Only minutes after his graduation, Will became one of the 161 people who died on that violent night. Out of countless tornado accounts, his story has deeply touched me.
Will was driving the family Hummer as he and his dad were returning from graduation, trying to escape the menacing storm. As its fury approached and then enveloped them, Will wasn't screaming in what would have been understandable terror. No, he was quoting Scripture aloud. Even as the storm started to suck him out a smashed window with his dad trying his best to hold on.A week later, they found his body in a nearby lake.
It's a hugely sad story, as are all the stories from that unforgettable night. But there's hope here, too. A lot of hope. Because he knew - to the last violent moment - why he was safe, no matter what. If you knew Will Norton, you knew that Jesus was his #1. And that in those darkest of moments, he was, in the Bible's words, "absent from the body, present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).
That young man's response to the deadly terror of that tornado has me asking myself a question. "When the storm is all around me, how do I respond?" If you answer that question honestly, you'll know exactly where your faith and your security really are.
The storm exposes where - and if - I'm anchored. There's no pretense when you don't know if you'll make it. With the winds howling, is it panic time? Self-pity time? Angry time? Giving up time? Turning on God time?
As I write this, I have no idea what kind of storm may be threatening someone who will read it. But I do know that a young man from Joplin has shown us the only anchor that no tempest can move.
Speaking of Jesus, the Bible says, "We have this anchor for the soul, safe and secure" (Hebrews 6:19). Because "nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). When you're anchored to Jesus, the worst can come, but the best remains. It did for Will Norton.
There is in belonging to Jesus the one relationship that is disaster-proof. Divorce-proof. Death-proof. That cannot be said about any other hope on this planet.
I know I'm safe with Jesus because, if He were ever going to turn His back on me, it would have been when He was agonizing on that bloody cross. In spite of my repeated sin and rebellion against the way He made me to live. Actually, He was dying because of that sin. Because He didn't want to lose me. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16).
A young man spends the horrific final moments of his life repeating the words of His Savior. Just before being ushered into His presence.
And shows us the way to truly safe. Forever.
If there's never been a time when you pinned all your hopes for heaven, for forgiveness, on the Man who died for you, don't wait for the storm. It might be too late then. You can find how to begin your anchor Relationship with Him at our website, yoursforlife.net. I hope you'll check it out.