snow, hail, and dust storms

As I have been reading the book of Job lately I have noticed how sovereign God is over everything, including the snow storms, the hail storms, and the wind storms.  One of the things I have found intriguing over the years is how Americans have used weather related war victories to prove how God was on our side. But when the weather is used against us, as it was in our failed attempt to rescue the hostages in Iran in 1980, it is considered as an unfortunate circumstance. In Job 38:22,23, we read:

 

            "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?"

 

 

God is over all, and controls all of the events of nature and our lives. There is nothing that happens beyond His intimate involvement…nothing. As I have been reading more about this failed attempt at our rescue of our America hostages in 1980, I have found numerous articles, both from the military and news agencies that attribute the failed attempt to poor planning but mainly to the dust storm, specifically known as a haboob (and intense sand storm).  Only four of the eight helicopters were operational after going through the haboob, and because of their minimal force, the decision was made to abort. After the decision was made to abort, one of the helicopter pilots lost his bearings in the dust and crashed into the C-130 transport planes, killing eight soldiers, and making the dark desert look like day time, . Not only did the dust storm stop the work of months of meticulous planning but earlier that night a bus load of touring Iranians drove near the landing strip and had to be detained until the rescue or in this case the failed rescue was completed. This failed rescue was one the darkest days for the US Military and for President Carter. It is unfortunate that President Carter did not see this as an opportunity to inform the American people that great nations are not great because of their military might but because of their Great God. I was in my twenties during the hostage crisis and remember watching the news on Nightline every night through the entire ordeal. Not once did I hear anything about turning to God as a nation.  As I ponder the events of 911 and Iraq during this last decade, and the current world scene, I am more convinced than ever that America will not be destroy from our enemies but from our lack of turning to God.  If anything we are being destroyed from within with the deterioration of our morals and values.  We are amusing and entertaining ourselves to death.  There is work to be done…Therefore, “Watch ye, stand firm in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong.”  I Cor 16

 

Here is a link to more info on the failed rescue

http://www.specwarnet.net/miscinfo/eagleclaw.htm