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Afternoon Storms!

... afternoon storms! In fact, there's a storm a'brewin' almost every afternoon lately it would seem. We can almost set our clocks by them. ...and it is during these storms that I often think of my David. David, the weatherman. You see, that's what he wanted to be when he grew up. Before that he wanted to be a garbage man, a popsicle man and then a baseball player since he was kin - according to his uncle - to the famous baseball player Nolan Ryan. To David's dismay and disappointment, however, his uncle was just kidding, and we are not, in fact, related to the great Nolan Ryan. Anyway... Later on, David even thought of becoming a marine biologist but that quickly turned into possibly just buying a boat and a fishing business just so he could live in Florida and do the thing he loves so much and that is to fish. Now a college boy, however, he really cannot decide what he wants to be other than an Army man for sure! But anyway, back then he wanted to be a weatherman. Well now that I think about it, maybe it wasn't so much that he wanted to be as much as we told him that he probably would be. You see, David was extraordinarily fearful of storms, and anytime he saw that figure of the State of Alabama pop up in the corner of our television screen (our Storm Warning!), we would be directed to the basement. .... by him!!! "Everybody downstairs! Come on! Everybody down!....", he would exclaim, arms and hands just directing us that way. My weatherman! ...that is until we survived a hurricane! Yep! We did! ... survive a hurricane!

We were on family vacation and had gone down to Florida with another family with whom we made yearly trips to the beach. We had heard that there was a storm brewing in the ocean but it certainly wasn't headed our way so off we went. Went there, got settled into our condo, walked some on the beach, went to dinner and then pretty much headed directly to bed. We woke up the next morning not to the Florida sun but to a storm which had changed course in the night and not only headed our way but was directly upon us. And not only was it a storm, but had, in fact, become a hurricane, and it was right smack on our beach. Rain was pouring, water was pounding (and coming in through) the windows, palm trees swaying to the ground! ... literally! But you know what?!... that little fellow - my David - my weatherman - weathered that storm and he did it with a calm, cool and collectiveness that changed his outlook on weather in general and storms in particular. Needless to say, we packed up and went home. It was the fastest vacation I have ever taken - all done in 24 hours! But I wouldn't give anything for that adventure which would become such a teaching lesson for that boy - for us all, as a matter of fact.

Job 37:1-5 ... "My heart pounds as I think of this. It leaps within me. Listen carefully to the thunder of God's voice as it rolls in His mouth. It rolls across the Heavens, and His lightning flashes out in every direction. Then comes the roaring of the thunder -- the tremendous voice of His majesty. He does not restrain the thunder when He speaks. God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We cannot comprehend the greatness of His Power." (He is so awesome, isn't He?!)

We will have storms in life ... but they may not have anything to do with the weather.
They have to do with life itself. The storms of life ....

People are like tea bags -- you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are.
(Author unknown)

Acrostic:

S - SUDDENLY & SEVERELY ... our storms can come ....

Proverbs 27:1 - "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."

Lamentations 3:19-26 - "Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I have hope in Him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord."

Matthew 6:25, 33-34 - "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food,
and the body than clothing? .... But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each
day has enough trouble of its own."

T - TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS ... our storms contain ....

John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

James 1:2-5 - "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom (...at wit's end!), let him ask of God who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

O - OMINOUS & ORBITOUS ... our storms seem ....

.... orbitous, you say?! Yes 'cause these storms can be so OVERWHELMING that they take us ominously right on out of our orbits. Amen? Amen!

Psalm 55:1-2, 4-5 - "Give ear to my prayer, O God; and do not hide Thyself from my supplication. Give heed to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted. .... My heart is in
anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me; and horror has overwhelmed me."

Psalm 130:1-5 - "Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope."

R - REACHING & RAGING ... our storms can be ....

Psalm 25:16-21 - "Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Look upon my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Look upon my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with violent hatred. Guard my soul and deliver me; do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in Thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for Thee."

M - MOANING & MOURNING ... our storms do bring ....

Psalm 31:9-10 - "Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also, for my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength has failed
because of my iniquity, and my body has wasted away."

Psalm 30:10-12 - "Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be Thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; that my soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever."

S - SAFE & SOUND .... SHELTER ... from all of our storms ....

Psalm 32:7 - "Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me from trouble; Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance."

Psalm 34:6-8, 17-19 - "This poor man cried and the Lord heard him; and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! .... The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all."

Psalm 46:1 - "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Psalm 61:4 - "Let me dwell in Thy tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Thy wings."

Psalm 121:1-2 - "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth."

STORMS! ... I read this once ... "In order to see the rainbow, you must first endure some rain."

You know, Jo Dee Messina sings a song called Bring on the Rain. Listen to the words of this song....

Another day has almost come and gone
Can't imagine what else could wrong
Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door
A single battle lost but not the war ('cause)

Tomorrow's another day
And I'm thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain

It's almost like the hard times circle 'round
A couple drops and they all start coming down
Yeah, I might feel defeated,
I might hang my head
I might be barely breathing - but I'm not dead

Tomorrow's another day
And I'm thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain

I'm not gonna let it get me down
I'm not gonna cry
And I'm not gonna lose any sleep tonight ('cause)

Tomorrow's another day
And I'm thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain

Prayer: "In the midst of life's storms, O God, may we see Your rainbow of hope and grace that reminds us of Your covenant and Your infinite love for us. Amen."
from The Upper Room Devotional submitted by W. Richard Turner (of Pennsylvania)

Finally, I want to share a poem I read once about storms ....

THROUGH THE STORMS

I did not know His love before,
The way I know it now.
I could not see my need for Him,
My pride would not allow.

I had it all, without a care,
the "self-sufficient" lie.
My path was smooth, my sea was still,
Not a cloud was in my sky.

I thought I knew His love for me,
I thought I'd seen His grace,
I thought I did not need to grow,
I thought I'd found my place.

But then the way grew rough and dark,
The storm clouds quickly rolled;
The waves began to rock my ship,
My anchor would not hold.

The ship that I had built myself
Was made of foolish pride.
It fell apart and left me bare,
With nowhere else to hide.

I had no strength or faith to face
The trials that lay ahead,
And so I simply prayed to Him
And bowed my weary head.

His loving arms enveloped me,
And then He helped me stand
He said, "You still must face this storm,
But I will hold your hand."

So through the dark and lonely night
He guided me through the pain
I could not see the light of day
Or when the storm might wane.

Yet through the aches and endless tears,
My faith began to grow.
I could not see it at the time,
But my light began to glow.

I saw God's love in brand new light,
His grace and mercy too.
For only when all self was gone
Could Jesus' love shine through.

It was not easy in the storm,
I sometimes wondered "Why?"
At times I thought, "I can't go on."
I'd hurt, and doubt, and cry.

But Jesus never left my side,
He guided me each day.
Through pain and strife, through fire and flood,
He helped me all the way.

And now I see as never before
How great His love can be.
How in my weakness He is strong,
How Jesus cares for me!

He worked it all out for my good,
Although the way was rough.
He only sent what I could bear,
And then He cried "Enough!"

He raised His hand and said, "Be still!"
He made the storm clouds cease.
He opened up the gates of joy
And flooded me with peace.

I saw His face now clearer still,
I felt His presence strong,
I found anew His faithfulness,
He never did me wrong.

Now I know more storms will come,
But only for my good.
For pain and tears have helped me grow
As naught else ever could.

I still have so much more to learn
As Jesus works in me;
If in the storm I'll love Him more,
That's where I want to be!

- Author Unknown

One last closing thought someone once sent me to ponder, and it just happens to be some really great advice .....

Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!

Amen? AMEN!