“Written in Early Spring” by William Wordsworth (1770–1850)

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  I HEARD a thousand blended notes   While in a grove I sate reclined,  In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts  Bring sad thoughts to the mind.  To her fair works did Nature link  The human soul that through me ran;  And much it grieved my heart to think  What Man has made of Man.  Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower,  The periwinkle trail’d its wreaths;  And ’tis my faith that every flower  Enjoys the air it breathes.  The birds around me hopp’d and play’d,  Their thoughts I cannot measure,—  But the least motion which they made  It seem’d a thrill of pleasure.  The budding twigs spread out their fan  To catch the breezy air;  And I must think, do all I can,  That there was pleasure there.  If this belief from heaven be sent,  If such be Nature’s holy plan,  Have I not reason to lament  What Man has made of Man?

Does God control the weather? What should we expect from God?

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By Steve Cornell

When natural disasters strike, some lose their lives; others lose all but their lives; still others are (as we say) miraculously spared. But how does God’s protection relate to natural disaster? When hurricanes pound islands and mainlands–churning out devastating tornadoes and floods, is God in control?

Does God control the weather? Who sends the wind and rain? Why does one part of the world endure unbearable drought while another is devastated by floods? Why do some people get all the so-called “nice” weather? Is this simply “Mother Nature” randomly unleashing her powers? Or, is the Creator himself even in charge of the bad weather?

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