The rural crossroad is only a mile long. Yet two tornados struck this road in one day. I have never  seen separate tornados hit the same spot within a matter of hours. Yet here we were. 

We responded after the first tornado destroyed a mobile home. While we checked for victims, another tornado arrived. After 30 years of working this county, a tornado traveled this road more than I had. But that wasn’t the weirdest part of the day. The trailer owner decided a home video of the twister was too good to pass up. 

Bubba heard the ominous sound of disaster approaching his single-wide trailer. Instead of taking shelter, he grabbed his camcorder and ran out in the yard. A few seconds later, the tornado did what tornados do. It lifted him in the air and threw him back down. Thankfully, Bubba remembered to put on his motorcycle helmet. 

As the medics loaded Bubba in the ambulance, he fought to get off the gurney. Still wearing his helmet, he shouted, “Wait! Get my camcorder!” I stood nearby and stared, wondering what manner of redneckery this was. Though he needed medical help, Bubba wanted proof of his hold-my-beer moment. And he wasn’t leaving without it. 

A bit of Bubba may live in us all. Instead of taking cover, we often ignore potential disaster ahead. But the Bible says, “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” (Proverbs 22:3) Bubba saw the danger, but he ran right into it.

The Bible says, “God has set a day for judging the world with justice.” (Acts 17:31) Because of the cross, however, God provides shelter. At the cross, God’s justice intersects with His mercy. Divine judgment of sin was fully executed at the cross. Jesus, “having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12) For those who shelter in Him, only grace remains.