Whatever the Weather

 Today

I opened my eyes at 7:23 a.m., delighted by the bright light streaming into the master bedroom of the condo. I hurried toward the great room. It, too, was bathed in light so bright that I squinted my eyes when I looked toward the east-facing section of the floor-to-ceiling windows that surrounded the room on three sides. The only sound I heard was the gentle lapping of the surf against the shore.

Last Night

But last night... Oh, my goodness! The wind shrieked around the exterior walls. It shoved two of the lighter-weight balcony chairs against the windows and banged them until my husband fought against it to bring the chairs inside. The wind created white caps on the normally calm waters of our portion of the Gulf of Mexico. Lightning flashed in the inky black sky. Rain pelted the windows. Even the water in the toilet bowls swirled slightly as the storm raged against the high-rise condo--as well as against everything and everyone in its path.

Today

Thankfully, after several hours, the storm passed. By God’s grace, my husband and I are safe and are anticipating a beautiful day here at the beach.

Reflections

The storm and the stillness, the darkness and the sunshine, the fear and the calm…are part of life, aren’t they? Whichever one we're experiencing at the moment will, at some point, be replaced by its opposite. By God’s grace, we transition from one to the other, trusting Him to be with us no matter life's current “weather.”

As I reflect on that, I remember a quote I'd read the day before the storm released its fury:

 I am not in control, but I am deeply loved by the one who is.

--Glenn Packiam

And I do believe, as I hope you do, that God has everything under control, even the storms of life. And as my mama used to say, “Whether He spares or shares, He will be there.” His presence with us makes ALL the difference—whether we’re experiencing storms or sunshine.

Note: To read my previous posts about storms, click here and here

Storms

Christ does not always immediately 

calm the storms, but He is always willing to calm His child on the basis of His presence. We'll probably never learn to enjoy our storms, but we can learn to enjoy God's presence in the storm!

~Beth Moore

See also Luke 8:22-25.

Seeking Nourishment

One morning I took my new mirrorless camera out on our deck to photograph hummingbirds. As always, I was awed by the speed of the thumb-sized birds as they zipped, zipped, zipped here and there, sometimes stopping only a second or two to take a quick sip of the homemade nectar (1 part white sugar to 4 parts water) my husband had poured into the feeders. Sometimes the hummingbirds swarmed the feeder--10 or more at a time. At other times, there'd be only one or two feasting at each feeder, which allowed them to sit longer and sip the life-giving fuel their tiny bodies needed. 

According to what I read on several Internet sites, the sugar water is only a part of their daily nutritional needs. They also need the protein that's found in soft-bodied bugs and spiders, which hummers eat throughout the day. Hummingbirds, like all of God’s creatures, instinctively search for the food they need to survive—and thrive. Thus, they spend much of their day in search of nourishment.

Since we humans also know that our bodies need food to sustain life, we, like they, wisely seek it throughout the day. Sadly, we are not that smart when it comes to feeding our souls! We go for days, weeks, or even years without seeking spiritual food, which is found abundantly in God's Word.

His Word not only nourishes our soul but is also sweet to our taste, if we truly love the Lord and His Word. Such sweetness causes us to long for it more than honey (or a delectable dessert). Because we delight in the doctrines of grace, the glorious truths of the Gospel, and the assurances of His love and of His presence with us, we eagerly turn to the Bible again and again. And if we’ve memorized Scripture, then we can have a sweet feast anytime (and anywhere!) we want to.

How sweet are Your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

~Psalm 119:103

The Answer

When I learned a friend was scheduled to undergo a serious medical procedure, I began to wonder what I might say or do that would help her feel less anxious as she waited for the appointed time. Although I didn’t know exactly what she was feeling, I could definitely empathize with her since I’d felt anxious many times when facing surgery and other scary situations.

With a prayerful, seeking heart, I went about my chores, believing that the words to share with her would be given to me. Sure enough, I suddenly remembered and began humming a verse of a song (“I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”) that has often comforted me as I’ve experienced the truth of its message. Like its composer (Alison Krauss)—and everyone else—I have no idea what tomorrow will hold—or even what’s in store in the next minute! But daily I choose to cling to Jesus’ promise: “I will be with you always” (Matthew 28:20).  

And since He keeps every promise and since He knows what lies ahead, I willingly put my hand in His, trusting Him to take care of everything that concerns me.

Does that mean my life will be easy all the time? No. But it does mean I will always have peace in the midst of whatever “storm” assails me, for I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He loves me and is with me at all times and that I can trust Him to cause all things to work together for His glory and my good. (See Romans 8:28.)

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The eternal God is your refuge, 

and His everlasting arms are under you, 

to hold you close, 

to comfort you, 

to lift you above your circumstances. 

(Based on Deuteronomy 33:27.)

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All who keep close to God, 

shall be kept safe by Him.

~Matthew Henry