Luke 21:36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all
that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of
Man
When I was a child, I remember living in San Antonio and
did not like the tornadic storms that would come roaring through. Thunder scared me the most because of the
loud booming sounds. I don’t remember who in my family told me that thunder was
the angels in heaven enjoying their bowling league games. Sometimes the looming sound would scare me
because I thought it could be the voice of God talking.
As my father was in the Air Force, we moved periodically,
and one move was to South Dakota. If it wasn’t thunderstorms, it was the threat
of and the real-time blizzards that made me afraid for fear of lack of food,
water and electricity for being snowed in.
Those who live in blizzard prone areas are well familiar with storm
preparations. The first year we were in
Rapid City, the blizzards made it very difficult to see the roads and made
driving near impossible. Snow drifts could be as high as 10 feet tall, well
covering the front door. We would have
to go out the back door in order for us to dig the snow away from the front
door. Stocking up on food and water was
imperative because the snow storms could last for days and then recovery and
road openings would take additional days. My father was often stranded at the
missile silos for a week because of the snow covered roads, making travel
impossible.
Storms come in different varieties, but so do tragedies.
Moving to Japan there were storms too, but even more frightening were the
earthquakes. My first earthquake was a
7.8 magnitude on May 25, 1983, in Misawa, Japan. The ground looked like an
ocean wave rolling in front of my eyes and that is if I could stand still. We do not prepare for earthquakes as there is
little or no notice, only clean up after the fact. What took years to build, takes
only seconds to destroy.
My focus in anticipation of the storms was to listen to
the news, receiving updates as to the location and progression of the storm,
praying it would miss me. Other times my focus was on prepping for an oncoming
storm. And at other times, my focus was on cleaning up the aftermath of the
damage left behind an earth shattering event.
No matter where we are in life and no matter what stage of
life we are in, storms and tragedies will happen. Many times there is no
control over them; they are what they are.
We may have had time to prepare; we may have been taken unaware. A death in the family, an accident, a
life-altering event. Each one produces a different reaction. We may choose to flee and run, but only for a
time as it may eventually catch up to us, sometimes worse than if we stood
strong from the onset. We may be fearful of what we do not understand. We may try to prepare for the worst case
scenario or become stuck in focusing on cleaning up the aftermath.
God does not cause the storm. This is a myth that some
wish to believe because they want to blame Him for the calamity that falls upon
them. A life storm may have been caused
by a poor choice made and it is the circumstances that have caused the
earthquake that shook us up. James 1:17
reminded me that good gifts come from Him. He doesn’t want to see His children
hurt.
What are we doing in the midst of the storm? We prepare
for the worst of the storm in order to lessen the damage and survival. Windows are boarded up to protect the interior
of the home. When life storms hit, some people
shut down emotionally and fall prey to depression, suicide, or withdrawal from
others. Their life is boarded up, creating an impenetrable shell, to protect
them from the onslaught of forces bearing down against them.
God wants us to be active during our storms. Not being
still and listening. Jonathan and his armor bearer prayed, fought and won the
battle against the Philistines. It was a storm that Jonathan watched for God’s
actions in the battle. Saul sat and tried to listen to God for an answer and
received no word. This is why I believe in the midst of life’s storms we watch
for what He is doing. Not what we are doing or what the storm is doing.
Watch the eagle. When the storm comes, the eagle positions
its wings, so that the wind will pick him up and lift him above the storm.
While the storm rages beneath, this inventive eagle soars above it. It does not
evade the storm, but simply uses the elements to elevate it to safety. God is
our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble, Psalm 46:1.
Sometimes, like a blizzard, when the storm is too rough to see, there is faith
(the assurance of things not seen - Hebrews 12:1) and the reliance upon Him to
lead us safely through the storm.
My grandmother would sing the
following to me during the time of storms to comfort me:
“Standing on the promises that cannot
fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and
fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall
prevail,
standing on the promises of God.”
Watch for
part 2 of this blog next week.
By Faith (Forging Attitude In Trusting Him).
