Last night I was on my way to a farewell party for a dear friend. The party was being held at a park just a few miles from my house. With no rain in the forecast, we were anticipating a wonderful evening.
Just before 4pm, I headed out and as I looked in the direction of the park I saw dark ominous clouds forming. I pulled up my trusty Weather Channel app and the forecast boasted sunny skies. Wondering where this storm was coming from I continued to drive. The closer I got the more I realized that the storm clouds were hanging right over the park. Not good! In fact, I could even see the rain falling from the distant clouds in long streaks.
Cars were coming toward me – some racing ahead of the rain, just out of it’s reach. Others were emerging from the wet darkness. It seemed as though they were speeding away – trying to escape it’s furry.
Watching their faces as they passed me, I noticed they were all looking off into the distance behind me. It made me glance in my rear view mirror. Beautiful blue skies with billowing white fluffy clouds.
As I drove I got to thinking…
Isn’t this like life? We spend it trying to “outrun the storm”. Maybe it’s illness, or want. Maybe it’s loneliness or meaninglessness. Maybe it’s fear of failing or tragedy. Whatever the case, we find ourselves spending our days looking for “the cloud with the silver lining”. We set our eyes on bluer skies.
While others were scrambling to avoid the storm last night, I was heading into it.
I continued in thought…The longer I walk with Christ the more I find myself heading into the storm. What is it about the Christian life that sends us into the storm instead of scrambling to outrun it?
It’s the message of hope we bring – the Gospel. It’s the hope we have in the glory of Heaven and an eternity with our Lord.
I think of the example of Paul.
He lived “in the storm” and experienced much darker days than I probably ever will. And he tells us why:
2 Cor. 4:5-18
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles… (Paul was speaking of imprisonment, being whipped, facing death numerous times, receiving lashes, being beaten with rods, being stoned, shipwrecked, facing countless dangers, being cold and hungry, just to name a few – 2 Cor 11:23-27) are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
I have realized that what God has asked of me, as His child, is to continue on in this life with Heaven as my goal. And this life will bring storms. Has God asked you to ride with Him into the storms? Has He interrupted your plans in someway? Is He whispering promises of what’s to come and asking, in return, for your hear and now?
He’s been changing my direction. Yes, my desire is to walk with Him even in the storm. I know my prize awaits where the Son is always shining and my rest will be eternal. How about you?
seiko avenue - 腕時計 セイコー
Fran - This could not have been more perfect than ever for me today! Thank you Tammy