Storms

 We face storms, don't we? 

They come from the heavens with thunder and lightening, but hurricanes and tornadoes also bombard us in life. We call them by different names: financial ruin, divorce, cancer. loss of loved ones, loneliness.

Some of these tempests from the sky are real.  Many cause destruction. A few are short-lived and gone, while personal storms can last a lifetime.

We flew to Tulsa this past week. The plane was delayed for five hours due to bad weather. Oklahoma is famous for tornadoes, and these scary things lurked in and about the area.

Once we took off, the pilot told us we would fly above the clouds.

As I gazed out the window, the  clouds didn't look so terrifying.  Turbulence came to us a few times, but a glimpse of sun and blue sky appeared also. And then it would disappear, but a break was a welcome sight.

The seatbelt sign stayed on. We bounced around, and it seemed we were on a roller coaster. Most of us passengers were frequent flyers, and the the turbulence was old hat to us. Nevertheless, I prayed for a safe journey.

We arrived in time for the funeral.

Saying goodbye and celebrating a life well lived is a storm. Although the brutal force of the cloud is short-lived, grief and sadness lasts longer.

God allows storms in nature, and to us in our personal lives. These storms come and go. When you are faced with one of nature or personally, ask the Lord to calm it. He's experienced. He's done it before.

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?" (Matthew 8:23-27)

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