Beauty & Destruction - A Personal Reflection on Irma and the Eclipse

This year Toccoa Falls College experienced two of God’s great wonders: the solar eclipse and hurricane Irma. Two rare and extraordinary events within a month’s time. The sun went dark and the rain turned sideways. As I was watching both events happen before my eyes I could not help but think of two contrasting ideas: beauty and destruction. Although both concepts are vastly different they can be inseparably intertwined. Two powerful events happened that displayed the immense glory of our God.

Let me start by saying this: I am in no way making light of the suffering that hurricanes can bring. Thank God we did not experience much damage here. However, I believe that there is an inherent beauty in the power of God displayed. I think it is even more significant when natural phenomena happen in such a short time frame. It is not often that hurricanes are strong enough to make people in Toccoa, Georgia worry. Yet this year the water aisle at Walmart was nearly bare. The last time there was a total eclipse visible from the United States was in 1979. Both events are such a rare occurrence that I cannot help but be in awe that they happened within a month and that I was in the right place to see it.

How extraordinary that we experienced a storm which in some places reached 185 miles per hour and saw the sun covered by the moon. Of all the orbits the moon could have been in it covered the sun perfectly, and of all the paths hurricane Irma could have taken it passed over Toccoa Falls Georgia. In both, we saw people gather, whether it was in amazement or for shelter. We welcomed guests to join our viewing of the eclipse in the path of totality and we opened our arms for those seeking refuge from a storm that was much worse for them than it was for us. What an opportunity to share in joy and grief.

Here at Toccoa Falls College, there is immense beauty all around us. There are so many places on campus where you can take in God’s beauty, not to mention the Falls. Something we see so often can become mundane. What a great reminder of God’s beauty to have at the beginning of the semester. Classes were canceled in both cases and we gathered to experience the extraordinary. We were presented with such a reminder of God’s power. The heavens have declared His glory (Psalm 19:1) boldly this semester, both in beauty and destruction.

God’s glory is obvious for those who will look, whether in the form of a sunset or a hurricane. What a blessing that we as Christians can see God’s glory revealed in creation. We were presented with such powerful examples of God’s glory this past a month. In response, maybe we should start looking for God’s glory all around us. We should seek to experience the extraordinary in everything from our friendships to the larger community at Toccoa Falls College; in the changing colors of the fall leaves and yes, in the waterfall that is over thirty times my height. What a powerful God we serve! A God that can speak His world into creation and sustain it.

Beauty and destruction do not seem like they could be related. How could I say there is beauty in a storm that brought harm to so many people? This is possible for the same reason I find so much beauty in the eclipse. I know who controls it. The God who can make the moon cover the sun and can cause the wind to force the rain sideways is my God. The God that called my name and redeemed me is the same God that reveals himself in creation. When I look around all I can see is God’s beauty in creation. All I can see is a reminder of how such a powerful God loves me. When the moon covered the sun and I heard the people cheering I could not help but well up with tears of joy. When the wind turned the rain sideways I felt safe with the understanding that I knew the Lord over the storm.

This semester we started with such a great reminder of how powerful our God is. The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1)! We experienced God’s power in two amazing and rare phenomena. The eclipse left us all speechless, and although hurricane Irma left us concerned it so wonderfully showed us the power of God.

As Christians, we serve a God that can bring beauty in the midst of destruction. There is nothing our God cannot do. As we are surrounded by everyday beauty let us not forget to seek God’s glory. God does not hide His glory. I am so thankful to be surrounded by so much beauty here at Toccoa Falls College. Let us remember to be thankful that we get to experience the extraordinary.

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.