Do Not Fear the Storm
Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord.
The Lord will fight for you, and you shall be quiet
(Exodus 14:13-14)
We live in troubling times. News agencies from around the world bombard us daily with reports of global unrest, broken peace treaties, and war; widespread hunger, floods, fires, and earthquakes; unstable economies; a continual rise in crime, and unlawful acts by those in places of power.
On a more immediate and personal level, we may find ourselves trapped in an unhealthy relationship, unsatisfactory working conditions, or a financial crisis. Or maybe we are among the millions who are simply exhausted from a whirlwind of activities and responsibilities from which there seems to be no escape. Dragging through the day, and tossing on our pillows at night.
Do you sometimes find yourself craving the peace God has promised those who are called by His name? The assurance that, in spite of the circumstances, God is still in control? If so, take heart!
The world in which we live cannot offer lasting peace. Treaties are broken almost before they are signed; the economy is shaky and uncertain; jobs can terminate overnight, and relationships can dissolve without warning. Our sense of security can fluctuate daily. But when we rely on God, our peace is not dependent on outward influences.
Just as the storms on the surface of the ocean do not affect the calm at the bottom of the sea, so will the storms of life not diminish our serenity when our eyes are focused on God and His many promises to care for us:
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass…
for evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord
they shall inherit the earth…and shall delight themselves
in the abundance of peace
(Psalm 37:7-11)
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
and He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
for the Lord upholds him with His hand
(Psalm 37:23-24)
I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread
(Psalm 37:25)
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28)
God is faithful, and His promises can be trusted. No storm, whether physical, mental, emotional, financial, social or spiritual, can destroy the peace of those who have anchored their hopes in His infinite power and mercy:
You rule the raging of the seas; when it’s waves rise, You still them
(Psalm 89:9)
shout not in its angry face;
for the Power Who rules all nature
marks the progress of your race.
Carry on as life permits you;
leave your progress in His Hand;
He will still the raging tempest
when it fits His loving plan.
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