Mighty Big Storms. Mighty Big Storm Chaser.
After I posted my blog yesterday, I hastened to see what was happening with the tropical storms and hurricanes. Ian is the ninth named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. Then there’s Fiona, that was expected to make landfall in eastern Canada before dawn on Saturday, after days of lashing Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic. (Dear Lord, we pray for divine intervention for those suffering.) Then there’s Tropical Storm Gaston and Tropical Storm Hermine. Storms, storms, storms!
Today, I’m calling out to God, our great Storm Chaser. I have known plenty of storms – the weather kind that we survived AND the soul kind. While we pray for safety and divine intervention for those in harm’s way in the Eastern Atlantic, I am calling on our great Storm Chaser this morning for those of us who are spent from our own personal storms.
I remember plenty of storm chasing in the night as I tossed and turned. Why would I do that? It is our human nature to think: “I can get this figured out if I’ll just keep tossing and turning.” I remember letting my mind run wild without even seeking God for the answer.
Many storms later, I know that when those times come, we best get out of our beds and put a halt to the storm mindset right then and there. No more negative thinking and wondering if God is seeing our storms. We know that no storm can hold a candle to how big our God is! We speak to those storms and say: “Cease and be still, in Jesus’ name!”
The disciples passed their lessons learned onto us. We can learn a ton from their mistakes which came from their lack of faith. They knew Jesus was on land and they discounted that He was the unparalleled “Storm Chaser and Peace Maker”!
They toiled and feared, (like my own tossing and turning) but Jesus was asleep on a cushion in the stern. The disciples woke Him and asked, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” The Gospel of Mark 4:35-41 states that: “He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid?”
I suspect that Jesus knew about the storm and was praying that his “Motley Crew” had matured enough in their faith that they could handle that one. He KNEW! And He SEES and knows the storms we’re going through. They are no surprise to Him. In fact, they are part of His plans to build our faith and trust in Him more. He hears our prayers during our storms, and He will carry us safely to the other side. (In my case — the other side of my bed and out of it!)
There is no difficulty in life that is stronger than our Lord. We can face our difficult times with courage because He promised ALWAYS to be with us! Since we know our circumstances are no surprise to Him, we might as well get a grip on Him and trust Him.
I remember my childhood fears and how I ran to my calm and peaceful mama. She proved through her comfort and assurance that all is well. And, when we, as God’s children are afraid and worried, if we would but run to the calm and peaceful nature of Jesus, we would find our storms to be still.
I pray that the peaceful presence and nature of Jesus to pervade our lives and that we would pass on that peace to others so that they know that peace found in Him, too! He is our Storm Chaser. When we abide in Him, His peace abides in us.
Dear Lord, we ask You to increase our faith. As You boarded the disciples’ boat, we invite You into our “boat” today and ask You to take control. Amen.