In March of 2017 while on vacation with my family on the Big Island of Hawaii, I was able to see Kilauea’s flowing lava. We had visited the Big Island before, but the lava hadn’t been flowing at the time. It started flowing in the spring of 2016 and now, just two years later, Hawaii is in a state of emergency due to the lava flow and the expected eruption of the volcano.
It was pretty unreal to witness such grace and power all at once. I sat on dried lava for a couple of hours watching the earth burn and bubble at 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit right next to me.
The lava moves so slowly with the brightest colors of red and orange, it is truly graceful. Feeling the lava’s heat radiate and seeing its unpredictable movement demonstrates the unstoppable power held by this natural force.
Note the steam rising up as the lava enters the ocean creating an ever-changing coastline.
If you look closely, you can see the red glow of lava in the crater.
Hawaii is beautiful with its:
desert-like lava fields
black sand beaches
whale filled ocean
dense green forest
towering waterfalls
and rugged coastlines.
The natural diversity found on the Big Island is like nowhere else and my heart breaks for the many locals who are losing their homes and the lives they lived a couple of weeks ago.
Lord, we thank you so much for the world you created for us to live in. It is falling apart, yet it is so amazing. How much more colorful, powerful, and dangerous is the grace of our savior than the lava he created?
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