Time just seems to be fly by this
summer. Life faces many challenges but
Father God helps us through them all.
As I left off last week dealing
with storms in life. This last weekend I
faced a thunder storm on a motorcycle.
Last weekend my wife and I decided to go see our oldest daughter in
Houston on the motorcycle. It was hot and humid that morning as we started out.
The sun was shining with a few clouds. We stopped for breakfast and as we set
out again the sky did not look so good. The forecast had only mentioned a
slight chance of scattered thunderstorms popping up later that day. As we drew closer
to Houston it started to sprinkle. Before I could get off the Hwy it began to
rain. We pulled into a gas station and waited it out. It was a fast moving bad
storm with a lot of lightning.
Then on the way back we faced
another storm. This one was worse than the first one. I tried to get ahead of it, but as we turned
unto another Hwy, before we could find shelter we were it. Believe me there is
nothing like a hard down pour while riding a motorcycle. It slammed into my face and body. In no time
we were soaking wet. We found a station pulled over and waited as it lightning,
and thundered. After a bit I looked on my phone saw a clearing ahead, yet the
storm seemed to settle in over us. I told my wife we are already wet and just
up ahead we will be in the clear. We headed back out and made it home with
clear skies.
That ride reminds me of life. We
all face storms in life, some fear them, others beg God to deliver them, then
there are those who just weather them and push through. I don’t know if it is me or at times it seems
there is a whole generation of people who have been so sheltered that they just
can’t seem to weather storms. I have seen parents that do everything to keep
their children from facing disappointment or lose. It just seems like we have safety everything to
prevent injury or pain. I am not saying it is all bad, but let’s face it life
is full of bumps, bruises, storms, ups and downs, and disappointments. We all have survived many a tragedy, or
stupid choice. For anyone to try to tell
us that life does not have to have any bad in it is deceptive. In many a storm
in my life I have had those who would try to tell me, I must of sinned, or I
lacked faith.
I am reminded of the story in
Matthew 8. Jesus told His followers to
go to the other side of the sea. While
in the boat in the middle of the sea a storm arose. The story tells us that the boat was taking
on water and these men were experienced fishermen. They feared for their life,
but Jesus was a sleep in the boat. They woke
him and asked him if he cared that they were going to sink. Jesus got up and rebuked them for their lack
of faith or we could say confidence in his presence and command to get to the
other side.
You see it was not that they faced
a storm, or just did note have faith. They just did not truly realize who was
with them, and what his command to get to the other side carried. If they truly had understood that Jesus was
the true messiah, the son of God. They would have had confidence in knowing
that just having him in the boat was enough to get them through the storm no
matter what.
This is what was beginning to
happen to me in those days. I was
discovering Father God, knowing who he was. The one true God and his son the
man Jesus the messiah. I was hearing His
voice and I longed each day to spend time with him. As I was going through those storms in my
life, I was beginning to face them with new confidence. I was beginning to see myself as He saw me,
and I began to pastor with passion and confidence. Each morning I asked Him to change me, change
my heart, change my thinking, make me the person He desired me to be.
Pro 10:22 The blessing of
Jehovah itself makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.
:23 To work out evil devices is
as laughter to a fool; so wisdom is to a man of
understanding.
:24 What the wicked fears shall
come upon him; but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
:25 As the
storm passes, so the wicked is no more; but the righteous is an
everlasting foundation.
Heb_4:16 Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Psa 23:4 Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
for You are with me; Your rod and Your
staff, they comfort me.
Next time, changes are coming
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