In the Storm 3/25

Jesus was teaching His disciples that difficulty was to come: He was about to be crucified and He was sharing His last words with Him.  And, He gave them some principles to which we can hold on.  John 16:33 says:
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Jesus had shared a parable in the book of Matthew about two men; their stories were similar, their houses had been beset by winds, storms, and floods.  One man's house stood, the other's did not.  The difference in their stories: the foundation upon which their houses were built.  We can know that adversity is a part of life; it's our foundation that makes the difference.  How we respond in trials is determined by our knowledge of God and trust in His faithfulness.  And, we can know He is at work, even when we don't understand what is occurring.

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Jesus is our source of peace and assurance in the midst of the storms we face in our lives.  In Matthew 14, we read the story of Jesus coming to His disciples, who were at sea in a storm.  He came to them, walking on the water. We read:

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 

28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."

29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

We are continuing to be mindful and prayerful regarding those who have lost lives and property in recent tornadoes around the Faith Radio broadcast area.  After the dreadful events of March 3, it wasn't too many days later that other parts of Central Alabama suffered damage in the wake of nighttime storms that came through.

There is the expectation that extreme weather events will wreak havoc in this fallen world, but even in the midst of adversity, we commonly hear stories of God's faithfulness.  And, that can be our story, too - there may be loss, there may be devastation, or disappointment, yet we can be strengthened in the Lord.

CBN ran a story on its website recently that included residents of Lee County, Alabama.  It included several quotes:

"I was sitting there praying, asking the Lord to protect everybody around us," Lee County, AL resident Sharon Poole said.

"The devastation is incredible," Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said.

Scott Fillmer, also from Lee County, described the horrifying scene. "I looked out the window and it was nothing but black, but you could hear that freight train noise," he said.

Others had these words:

"It went from dark to daylight; I just watched it just suck the clouds in and everything," Smith's Station, AL resident Donald Estes said.

"I'm still thanking God I'm among the living," said John Jones, who has lived in Beauregard, AL for most of his life.

A story from television station WRBL in Columbus also spotlight a man who expressed faith in God:

Jeffery Rowles says all he can remember is running to rescue his nephew from his sister's trailer in the storm.

"I couldn't remember anything but something big and white went across the back of me and that was my mom's top. And then my nephew, the only thing I could remember about him was that he was in the house and he was soaking wet. It was a blessing from God that he got out before it started flipping," Rowles says.

And about five minutes later, it hit.

The article said, "So Jeffery, like other Lee County residents will rummage through the debris and pick up the pieces." Jeffrey shared, "I have to thank God and keep my head up. Thank God and take it one day at a time. God just blessed us."

And, in Paducah, Kentucky, a preschool director, Michelle Rushing, had the responsibility for 40 preschool children in a church that had its roof torn off.  Baptist Press reports:

As a tornado was sweeping through a five-mile stretch in west Kentucky around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday (March 14), Rushing guided the children into the innermost room, following the church's storm plan, she told WPSD in Paducah. Then she said they sang songs like "Jesus Loves Me" and "He's Got the Whole World in his Hands."

Despite considerable damage to the church building, everyone inside was unharmed, the station reported.

The article also quoted from a local sheriff, who had worked to extract a man who was travelling in the area who had been trapped in his vehicle.  The article featured a quote from the West Kentucky Star by Sheriff Matt Carter: "The almighty hand of God has provided safety to our community," adding, "The destruction path is approximately five miles long. There are approximately three homes that are devastated but no injuries, and also there is approximately a half-dozen other homes that have sustained minor to moderate damage. This could have been an extremely high fatality rate, and we're very fortunate and blessed to only report that one minor injury."

We can be careful to remember certain principles.  For one thing, we are not exempt from pain and suffering in this life.  It is part of living in a fallen world.  But, when we have seen our lives protected and when we have come through a storm in this life, we can be careful to give God the glory He is due.

At one time or the other, we will encounter storms in this life.  But, we can know that He is our rock and refuge in difficult times.  Sometimes lives will be taken, but even then, we know there are opportunities for the Church to minister God's comfort.

So, consider that storms are certain, but God's love and faithfulness are certain, as well.  Remember how Peter was called by Jesus to walk toward Him - on the water.  As it's been taught, as long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he made progress; but when he considered the turbulence around him, he fell.  We can continue to trust in the Lord, even when we encounter trial.