Matthew 8:24
Suddenly a terrible storm came up, with waves higher than the boat. But Jesus was asleep.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
The other day I looked
outside the windows at our local Aquatic Center and watched summer storm
clouds grow on the horizon. There is a rule at the Aquatic Center that
when thunder is heard, everyone must get out until the storm passes and
no thunder is heard for 30 minutes. The cloud formations got larger and
seemed to work into a “slow boil” that was ripe with the ingredients
for a hefty summertime thundershower.
Timothy was taking a
swimming lesson. When he finished, we quickly changed clothes and
gather our things. Just as we got to our car, big raindrops began to
pelt us. By the time we pulled away from the Aquatic Center, there were
loud claps of thunder…followed soon after by a torrential rain,
lightning, thunder – and even a little hail. The storm lasted about an
hour and netted a 1” rainfall – at least in our yard!
I knew that
“scattered thunderstorms” were forecast. I was somewhat prepared to
have to cut the swimming lesson short and leave early. In fact, when a
precursory rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, a couple of us
looked at each other and grimaced…and hoped that maybe we were “hearing
things”. But we all knew that these clouds were rapidly coursing toward
a full-blown, all-out storm…and that’s exactly what we got.
The
good news is that it didn’t stick around for very long. Later in the
afternoon, the sun was out, and the storms had passed…and we were none
the worse for the wear. In fact, our lawns and foliage were in need of
some rainfall…so the “storm” brought hidden blessings and benefits.
I
can see potential “storm clouds” on the horizon in certain areas of my
own life. Let’s get real here…I bet you do, too! My “brewing storm”
may not be the same as yours…but I am pretty sure that there is
something about your life that is less than perfect – and conditions may
be ripe for a hefty, all-out “thunderstorm”. If you are like me, you
can somewhat see the handwriting on the wall…the inevitable “storm” that
is headed your way. And yes, I’ve prayed about my situation until my
knees are raw (figuratively) – as I’m sure you have. Still, the “storm
clouds” keep growing and heading right toward me. This may “blow over”
and be nothing…or it may be a “terrible storm”. Right now I am not sure
how things will go, and this uncertainty heightens my prayer time!
The
craziest part of all is that while we can see these “storms” building
on the horizon…we can hear the “rumbling thunder” in the distance…God
often seems to be sound asleep. We are saying, “Hey, LORD!!! Can’t you
stop this? Don’t you see what is happening? Didn’t you notice that
everything is about to fall down around me?”…and God is quietly and
calmly “napping in the bottom of the boat”. I don’t know about you, but
this is a frustrating, almost helpless feeling for me. And yet, as I
look backward and review other “storms” in my life, I see how God
handled them on my behalf…how He was always at work (even when I thought
He had abandoned me)…how He brought blessings even in the “rain”. As
our pastor reminded us in this week’s sermon, I have sometimes mistaken
God’s silence for abandonment…and forgotten that God will never leave
me.
Now I will be the first to tell you that I am probably going
to continue to stew and fret over my current “storm”…because I’m human
and that’s just how I roll. I’m not the least bit proud of the fact
that I do some hand-wringing…but I cannot seem to stop myself
nonetheless. However, I am going to do my dead-level best to stay calm,
avoid over-reacting, and trust that even as God “naps”, He is aware of –
and working on – my situation. Rather than add the needless worry and
confusion of wondering where God has gone to my list of anxieties and
qualms, I’m going to trust that He is right here with me…making a clear
path where I cannot see one.
I’m going to actually believe that
God is “patting the bottom of the boat” and saying, “Come on over and
lie down beside me. Rest a while. This storm will pass soon enough.
I’m in complete control…I’ve got this!” As believers, we’re all “riding
in the same boat”, so to speak. My question for you is…where do you
plan to sit?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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