The Met. Office have issued an Amber weather warning for tomorrow. Hurricane Ophelia will hit Ireland as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds. It’s the farthest East in the Atlantic a hurricane has ever travelled & the worst storm in Ireland for 60 yrs!
We’ve witnessed the destruction brought by Hurricane Harvey in Texas & devastation on the Caribbean islands brought by Hurricane Irma.
Yet today, the air is warm & the sea is still- the calm before the storm.
This summer, Caris & I watched Life of Pi. Torrential rain & colossal waves sank the ship Pi was on board.
The Gospels describe storms on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus’ reaction to the storm was different on each occasion. While His disciples were afraid, He was in control.
On one occasion He was asleep in the boat while the storm raged (Mark 4:35-41) When His terrified disciples woke Him, He commanded the furious squall to still (And it did)
During another storm, He walked on the water to join His frightened disciples. (John 6:19) Then commanded the wind & waves to cease (And they did!)
Another time He walked on water, He invited Peter to join Him on the waves (Matt 14:25)
In life, dark clouds can cloud over our sunshine. Storms can rise up unexpectedly & suddenly on still waters & halcyon days.Storms can invade our peace.
I’m reading a book just now called ‘The Hardest Peace‘ written by Kara Tippetts. It’s about how she found God’s peace in ‘life’s hard’ For Kara, the storm was advanced breast cancer. For each of us, the storms we face will be different. Different yet difficult.
And at different times God will work in different ways.
As someone wise once noted, at times God in His sovereign power will calm the storm. At other times God in His wisdom calms His child.
Even ‘when we can’t trace His hand, we can trust His heart’
He is with us in the storm. Even when we don’t feel like He’s there, He is closer than we think!
We can trust our Father God:
‘He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the LORD God Almighty is his name.’
(Amos 4:13 NIV)
When we are tossed in the middle of a storm & when we can’t grasp what going on, we can hold onto His promises:
*’Don’t fret or worry.Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.
Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.’
(Philippians 4:6-7 MSG)
*’And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.’
(Philippians 4:19 NIV)
*’You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.’
(Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV)
*Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
(John 14:27 NIV)
What promises can you cling onto today?
Listen to:
Praise you in the storm– Casting Crowns
Trust in You– Laura Daigle
Blessings,
Ruth x
Blessed! 