Perfect Beauty in an Imperfect World
The morning sun peeked over the Smoky Mountains revealing the elaborate, crystalline beauty of the ice that the twenty-nine degree fog deposited on the trees overnight. The sunlight shined through myriad temporary gems that highlighted the absolute brutal beauty of nature. With the rising of the sun, still strong in mid-November, the temperature would rise and the ice would subside, giving way to the enduring beauty that is Tennessee's Smoky Mountains.
As I sat mesmerized by the beauty of God's creation, I wondered at the equal perfection of God's plan. The land itself had recently sustained lethal forest fires that left it scarred and devoid of life, yet here on this cold November morning, the resilience and dominance of life was unmistakable. Many of the trees that in 2016 were charred beyond recognition sprouted with new life in the spring and have since returned to their full glory. Now, in the fall when the temperatures drop below freezing and the fog brings ice to the branches that were once burned, the brutality and beauty of it all is mesmerizing.
That dichotomy of ice and fire is not lost on me as I sit here in the mountains of Tennessee reveling in the recovery of nature while California burns, lives and livelihoods lost. In that message of loss, though, are the twin tales of salvation and resurrection. In Tennessee, the design of nature, the slopes and runs of the hills, and the valiant efforts of the men and women who worked to halt the advancing flames worked in concert to save what could be saved and ultimately reclaim nature for nature. In California, where the seeds of some native trees lie dormant until fire sets them free, the implement of salvation lay quietly awaiting the freedom wrought only by fire. Following winter, when snow and rain soak the ground, the springtime sun and temperatures will work their magic and fresh trees will grow and resurrect the land. Life will return to the California hills and the beauty of God's creation will once again rule the day.
"These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:7, NIV)
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Heb 12:11, NIV)
In painful times, whether the loss of a home or even a loved one in a fire, nobody wants to hear that God's plan is perfect, that the trials we face now will build character (Romans 5:4), and that God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Rom 8:28). We argue that God is good and a good God wouldn't use evil means, like the unfortunate death of our loved ones in a forest fire, to advance His good purpose. However, despite the truth that we humans brought imperfection into God's perfect plan, God still takes evil and turns it to good. While we cannot see that goodness during times of struggle (Heb 12:11), we can rest assured that God's perfect plan, just like the one I witnessed in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, will work all things for His good.
So, my challenge to all us Christians today is to be strong and rely on God's promises when our strength fails. Be compassionate for those in trials because they often cannot fathom the goodness of God in their pain. And be prayerful in either circumstance because God is good, whether our reality supports it or not. In the end, when the fire fades and the ice melts, the beauty of God's plan endures.
My prayer is for God's grace to be sufficient to those that were lost, may He be merciful to those who have lost, may He bring healing and forgiveness to all, and compassion to those who help.
–Mark Klages is an influential contributor, a former US Marine and a lifelong teacher who focuses on applying a Christian worldview to everyday events. Mark blogs at https://maklagesl3.wixsite.com/website under the title "God Provides where Hate Divides," with a heart to heal social, political, relational, and intellectual wounds through God's divine love and grace. Mark can also be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-klages-04b42511/.