October 8, 2018

Storms

The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. – Psalm 95:5

As I write this, a hurricane is headed toward my state. I’m an old-timer. I’ve been down this path before. I watch the weather. I prepare. And I trust God with it all.

Panic is everywhere. There are long lines at most gas stations. Supermarkets and Walmart are packed. Even the Dollar General has a full parking lot. People are in panic mode.

I suppose much of it is because most people weren’t expecting a hurricane. It wasn’t on their radar even though it’s been in the news. Even this morning, I encountered people who didn’t know a hurricane is set to hit land on Wednesday. So now they’re panicked.

The time to prepare isn’t two days before the storm. But that’s what we do, isn’t it? We wait until the cancer diagnosis, the job loss, the divorce, the death. Then we cry out to God, panicked by what has happened. Our foundation is weak because we haven’t bothered to sink our roots into His Word. We haven’t prepared our hearts to withstand adversity.

I’ll admit that it’s been a long time since a bad hurricane has headed our way. We’ve been fortunate. We’ve watched from afar as other areas have struggled with storm damage, horrific flooding, power outages, downed trees, destroyed homes. Now it’s our time.

That’s how it is in life. We’ve got it good. We do know that. Life is sailing along. Our biggest complaint is that we’ve got too many good things to do. We’re happy. Satisfied. And maybe we’re that way for years.

And then it hits. Something awful happens and life changes and you’re suddenly floundering in a storm you didn’t see coming. You can either focus your eyes on Jesus or you can focus on the storm. Your choice. Which you choose sometimes depends on the foundation you’ve laid.

I’m not panicked by the approaching hurricane. Maybe I should be. I try to stay prepared because honestly, in our part of the country, storms happen. It’s better not to wait until the last minute to try and remember what you need and what you should have on hand.

But here’s s truth: God is in control. I’m not. Nor are you. He made the Gulf of Mexico. He made all the land. He controls the wind and the rain and storm surge. Not me or you. I trust Him with the hurricane and what happens during and after it hits. Just like I trust Him with the other storms that sometimes rock my life.

Do you trust Him? Are you prepared for the storms you will inevitably face? Don’t wait until you are desperate to realize how much you need God.