We had a wicked storm the other night. There was rain, thunder, lightning, and a strong wind. The sound of the storm woke me and as I was lying there listening to branches break off and fall on our roof I knew that I was safe inside my house. The roof and walls would do their job to keep the storm from coming inside and harming us. Around 6:00 a.m. the storm let up and all that was left was rain. By 7:00 even that had ceased. I went outside with the intent of viewing the damage. But, even though there was trash and broken tree limbs everywhere, what I found instead was another demonstration of God's love for us.
In Psalm 18:2 David says "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;...He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold."
You see, I could have chosen to just see the damage the storm left behind
the trash that had blown in
and the broken branches
I could look up and see the tangled mess left in the trees
But I am reminded that if I only look at what's in front of me I will be blinded to what is ahead and above
If I step back and see the bigger picture
I can see the sun shining through those same branches
and I can see that the storm did not destroy the tree, it simply pruned it - getting rid of the dead branches so that it could continue to grow and stand strong against the wind
When I picked up the trash and threw it away
Life came back
And when the storms of life come my way I know that like this roof
Jesus is there to protect me and keep the worst of the storm out.
Do you need a promise today?
"But the Lord is my fortress; my God is a mighty rock where I can hide." Psalm 95:22
"For you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!" Psalm 61:3-4
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
