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

May God Bless Us

He Will NOT Forsake Us!

I’m Beginning to “Get It”

It seems that everything I read here lately reminds me that I am being cared for by One far greater than I. (I wrote about that in yesterday's post on 1-20-2019.) This afternoon, while I was reading in Amy Carmichael’s wonderful book, Thou Givest...They Gather, I came to these words:

Did you ever fear a little as you thought of the difficulties ahead? Did you ever think, “The Lord Jesus has so many to take care of, how will He have time to think of me?” We have the answer to such thoughts here [Revelation 1:16-17]. It is the Hand that holds the seven stars (the seven churches, all the worlds and the Heaven of heaven) it is that Hand that is laid upon each one of us, and to each one the word is the same, “Fear not” (p.103).

This evening, as I was doing an assignment in The Quest: An Excursion Toward Greater Intimacy with God, one of the Scriptures the author (Beth Moore) included was Deuteronomy 33:3, which says:

A bit further down in that same chapter, I came to these words, which I’ve heard Elisabeth Elliot say hundreds of times on her radio program Gateway to Joy:

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are His everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27a). 

Is it a coincidence that I’m receiving the same message from various sources? I don’t think so. I believe it is a message my Heavenly Father wants me to truly believe. Therefore, He’s allowing me to hear it again and again even though it’s expressed in slightly different words by those who recorded and then shared the words He gave them. Thankfully, the message is beginning to sink into my mind and heart. God does love me. He holds me in His mighty hand. There I am secure and have no need to fear. 

Is that a message you also need to hear, to believe, and to share with others?

Under His Wings

Many times as I read the Bible, I’ll recall a picture I’ve taken that illustrates the principle mentioned in the passage. For example, as I read Psalm 91 (one of my favorites), several photos came to mind, including this one.

I took it in 2013 when my husband and I strolled along the Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas. The mallard duck didn't appear agitated by the thronging crowd or by the noise in that congested restaurant/shopping area.

I’m not sure why her ducklings had drawn near to her. Had something scared them? Was it naptime?

Whatever the reason, the protective mother and her little ones form a word picture of this promise found in Psalm 91:1-4, NIV: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.... [There] He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

Yes, under His wings, we (like the ducklings) find protection. Of course, God has far more skill and power to defend those who seek refuge in Him than the female mallard does. But the mallard and her young ones illustrate the principle of God’s tender love and care for those who trust Him.

Our Shield

Shielding. Guarding. Watching.

I awoke well before the alarm would have awakened me at 6 a.m. Immediately, my mind began thinking of two people, unrelated to each other and in very different situations, who were filled with fear and dread over the difficulties that might fill their day. Although I was powerless to help either of them, I knew Someone who could. So, I talked to God about them. I asked Him to comfort them, watch over them, protect them, and give them strength to face the injustices and tauntings they feared would come their way.  

For more than 30 minutes, I prayed exclusively for them, though I had no idea why the prompting to pray had come so strongly—and at that early hour. When I could think of nothing else to say on their behalf, I got out of bed and went to the sunroom sofa where I sit most mornings to hear what God says to me as I read His Word. My daily Bible reading took me to Proverbs 1 and 2. And when my eyes focused on the words I’ve included in the graphic below, a sense of peace and gratitude flooded my mind and heart because I felt confident God would most assuredly shield and guard as He constantly watched over the two people who so needed such care from Him. 

Under His Wings

Taken on the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas.
Notice how watchful the mother duck is and
how the ducklings instinctively know
to hide under her wings!