Storms in the desert can be deadly. First comes a wall of dust, then the downpour. The rains sweep through canyons in flash floods. One minute everything is dry. The next, everything that was is no more. In a moment, the landscape of your life is changed.
Storms are indiscriminate. They don’t care; they have no feelings. They’re out to devastate everything in their paths. And if you happen to get in their way, they can destroy you.
You might not see or hear a storm coming; they rarely announce their arrival. And even when they do, you often have little time to do anything more than try to escape their fury.
They can appear any time, anywhere. They frequently attack when you least expect them. They come when you’re not looking. When you’re tired. In the middle of the night. Out of nowhere. They blindside you, knock you down—if not knock you out. And they will if you don’t get up.
When a storm hits, you’re not enjoying a refreshing swim; you’re caught in a deluge. And the torrent is sweeping through faster than you ever imagined it could. You’re whirled around, upside down. Stumbling, tumbling. You thought you were standing on a solid rock. Where is the rock? Now all that you feel under your feet seems to be sinking sand.
What you do in the midst of a storm won’t deter it’s fury. Your actions and reactions won’t deflect its path or defer the damage. But who you blame will affect what happens in the aftermath.
When the storm has passed—and it will—if you think the storm was an act of God, you’ll be angry. But what if storms are a part of life? What if they’re indiscriminate? What if the bad things that happen to you aren’t caused by a vindictive, mean, angry God? What if God is the one trying to rescue you?
That’s happened. On one occasion, Jesus came walking through a hurricane. During another tempest, he was asleep in the boat with those who feared for their lives. Both times, people misunderstood him.
We do, too. We either think he’s come to torment us or that he doesn’t care. But if that were true, why bother to come where we are? To be in the same boat with us?
That’s what comforts me and what should comfort you—he is where we are. He knows what we’re going through. And because he does, he can do what we can’t. He will either quiet the storm or calm our fears. Either way, he’s our guide.
Want to learn more? Visit http://praisechapelkingman.podblaze.com to hear a sermon by Senior Pastor Howard Pennington or any of our pastors or guest speakers.
