This Psalm…

Psalm 147:1-11 – “Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.”

I have a lot on my heart this morning. I found out yesterday that a girl I know, who is younger than me, suddenly lost her husband. She is now a widow. There is a massive storm hitting tiny islands with many people living on them that will face terrible devastation in the next few hours and days. And here I am preparing as well for an unseen force that I am uncertain of it’s path. 

As my day goes on from hour to hour and I continue to see my clients as if nothing different is going on, I have in the back of my mind a list a mile long of things that need to be done and items that would benefit my family, if I can find them. I am grateful for advanced warning but the waiting can be a challenge. 

And then I can’t stop thinking about the girl I know that lost her husband. It breaks my heart to think about her having to do life without her husband. I can’t even imagine.

Yet, this psalm brings me peace today. It reminds me to sing. You see, as much as I desire to help out my friend, I really can do nothing more than pray for her. I’m too far away to be very effective in a physical sense. But I know the One that can heal her broken heart and mend her family’s spirit. And as much as I think on and pray for those in the path of the storm, there is really nothing I can do for them right now except pray – because I know the One that named the stars and prepared the earth for the rain He is sending. And as much as I fret and scurry trying to prepare for the storm coming my way, I need to sing more. He wants me to trust Him through this thing. He wants to show me that He can provide for me in a way that my legs and hands would never be able to. 

This psalm reminds me to trust in Him because He has “the whole world in His hands”. Yes, I need to prepare. Yes, I need to pray. Yes, I need to remember others and the challenges they face in the different aspects of their life. Yes, I need to do what I can for my family and for those around me. But I need to do it with a song in my heart that reminds me to “praise You in the storm”. 

My side of the storm

Psalm 97:6 – “The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.”

There are many sides to a storm. For someone, this little summer storm was a game changer. For some, it brought fear with its creation. But for me, watching it from a distance was beautiful. 

Life brings storms – that’s just the way it is. But the same storm that strikes fear when seen on the horizon has the opportunity to cleanse us and revive us and leave us feeling renewed. It’s all about how you choose to see it. 

This psalm reminds me that all of it is God’s creation. All of it, even the really hard stuff, has the potential to bring Him glory. It has to do with your perspective of the storm. 

When the storm is forming, you have the choice to face it, hide from it or ignore it. Either way, it’s coming. Will you prepare for it, fear it or pretend it doesn’t exist?

Life is about choices – choosing to follow Christ, be scared of Him or simply pretend He doesn’t exist. If you choose to follow Him, the storm becomes an opportunity. If you are scared of Him, the storm becomes a weapon you perceive that He uses against you. If you try and convince yourself that He doesn’t exist, you see it as “fate” or the “universe” that is out to get you. 

So, what side of the storm are you on? What do you see in this beautiful picture? I see beauty. I see strength. I see possibility. I see promise. But then again, I’m a follower of Christ and I know that He can guide me through anything, even a summer storm. 

Psalm 107:25-31 – “For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”

Last Friday was the weirdest weather day I have seen in a long time. The morning began with a light drizzle and super cloudy. By mid morning, it was beginning to rain somewhat. It has slacked up enough for me to get out of my car and go into work without an umbrella. But by 11 am, it was as dark as night outside and the wind was blowing like crazy and the heavens opened up. It was a deluge! So as we all sat checking our weather app for tornado warnings (which, by the way, are no fun at a nursing home), the storm raged on.

But the wierdest thing about the whole day was that by 1 pm there wasn’t a cloud in the sky! No joke. Totally clear with a cool, light breeze. It was simply beautiful. In fact, I came home and sat on my porch and read a book. It was lovely.

What started out as a tumultuous and scary day turned out to be a beautiful and peaceful evening.

It made me think, isn’t that just like God? The storms of my life go raging on and seem as though they will never stop until something is destroyed. I turn to God seeking His widsom and His leadership to keep me safe and help me through it. And before I know it, the clouds are gone; the winds have calmed; and I am left with the beauty of the aftermath.

I hope and pray that you have such a sanctuary and solice in the midst of your storms. If not, please seek Him out. Choose to let Him have the dominion and leadership in your life get you through whatever storm may be blowing into your life today.