Psalm 107:23-32
Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
They mount up to the heavens
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger
like a drunken man.
And are at their wits' end.
Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
He calms the storm,,
So that its waves are still.
Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So, He guides them to their desired haven.
Oh, that men would give thanks to
the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them exalt Him also in the
assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.
Yesterday, around 3:30 PM, I felt like I was one of these men encountering a fiery storm out in the middle of the ocean. Pop-up thunderstorms swept through Middle Tennessee with a fierce intensity. We were having a patio cover installed and the three men had to rush into the house to find a safe haven from the outside conditions. It was amazing to watch the power through the windows of the rain, wind, and hail. It was also a little nerve-wracking to say the least. As my husband pulled back through town last night after work, he was amazed at the damage that occurred here in Murfreesboro. Trees were down. Our power was out for a few hours. Roads were closed due to debris.
As I sit here this morning reflecting on the events (and I might add I have found my new quiet place---under the patio), several points come to mind.
(1) You have to be anchored down.
Umbrellas, playscapes (yes, our wooden playset in the back was moved about two feet), chairs, flower pots were strewed everywhere. In some cases, the flying objects busted windows in houses or caused other extensive damage. When a storm arises in your life (conflict, crisis, health issue), your faith has to have a strong hold or root system. One of our autumn blaze maples we planted a couple of years ago is now bent over. Compared to the other 3 that line the back of our property, we now know the weaker one. Hopefully it will make it. (Matthew 13:3-9; Hebrews 6:19)
(2) You need a safe haven.
We had to have a safe place to be during the inclement weather. It could have been a storm shelter, closet, or even a roof over your head. The issue with safe havens is people tend to rely on other people to be in that place. The truth of the matter is: People will fail you, but the Lord never will. Who are you fully relying on to be your refuge? (Psalm 46:1; Psalm 62:8)
(3) You will learn from it....
If you choose to do so. As a matter of fact, you may even come back stronger than ever before! Examine your life...the trials you have encountered. They aren't fun during, but as you sit and reflect, you have probably seen growth...and hopefully learned something that will help you throughout the rest of your journey here on earth (because we will face multiple storms). (James 1:2-4)
And after the storm...Like the Psalmist said in the end of the above verses...it is time to be GLAD and give thanks for His goodness! May you have a wonderful day growing in the knowledge of the Lord.
