Whether the Storm
Whether the Storm
Welcome to hurricane season. It’s that time of the year for us in the south. From Texas to North Carolina, we’re all now subject to the possibility of hurricanes through November. I’ve lived in Florida my whole life and as strange as it sounds, I’ve been through thunderstorms that were worse than hurricanes. I’m not taking hurricanes lightly, but I have lived through this phenomenon a few times.
There’s just something helpless and hopeful about these storms. Helpless in the fact that you really can’t do anything about it. You can’t control the weather like Jesus (unless you have faith of a mustard seed). But there’s something hopeful in knowing that the storm isn’t here to stay. It will run its course, dump its wind and rain, then dissipate.
Sometimes life is similar to hurricane season and thunderstorms in this way. You know they’re coming. You know you can’t really control them. You know they can be unpredictable. You know they may cause damage. But you also know you can prepare for them. And sometimes you can’t…
In the end of the book of Acts, chapter 27 more specifically, we find a truly incredible storm story. Paul, as a prisoner, is being taken to Rome to await trial. It will be the last trip he takes.
He urges the Romans in charge not to leave, but they don’t listen. After a short time, a huge storm comes upon them. They eventually throw just about everything on the boat that isn’t a human into the sea. The storm rages for fourteen days. Yes, that’s right. Fourteen days on a boat through a storm.
One interesting point about this story is that God chooses to save all lives on the boat, but not the boat itself. Paul had work that God wanted him to do on the island to which they would be shipwrecked. There’s a few things that come to mind while thinking about that.
Here’s the first: God is still God whether He saves you from or protects you through the storm.
However God chooses to use the storm is completely up to Him. He is sovereign. His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. This is where trust and faith come in handy.
Paul had divine appointments that he had to keep so God made sure he kept them. Divine appointments require divine intervention, and divine intervention often times looks very unconventional. Here’s a few examples: Moses was sent away so he could deliver… Saul (later Paul) was blinded so he could see… the Savior was crucified so He could save. The list goes on.
Sometimes a shipwreck can be a sign of grace or mercy. Sometimes God saves us from, sometimes He saves us for, and sometimes He saves us through. And by through I don’t just mean beyond the storm; I also mean by way of the storm. Jonah is an example of that. And the people of Malta that Paul ministers to in Acts 28 are another example, because divine intervention is often times unconventional.
The second thing that comes to mind with this story is this: just because He sinks your ship doesn’t mean He won’t save you. Maybe, just maybe, the saving is IN the sinking. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:25 that prior to this trip to Rome, he has been shipwrecked on three separate occasions and once a day and night in the open sea. One may choose to chalk this up to bad luck or poor seamanship, but I choose to see protection, provision, and divine appointments being kept.
Storms of life come for all of us. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) Jesus tells us that the sun shines on the evil and the good, and that it rains on the just and unjust. And John 16:33 records Him telling us that we will have troubles or trials, or tribulations. Pick whichever word you like.
We all have to deal with storms. The main question isn’t if or even when. The main question is how. How do we weather the storm? By standing on the firm foundation, the solid rock that is Christ Jesus. How do you whether the storm? That one is on you. The perspective you choose will determine that.
Strength isn’t just to weather the storm, strength is for whether the storm. Whether He saves you or sinks your ship. Whether He protects you from or protects you through. Whether He provides an escape or provides the endurance. He is still God.
The quickest way beyond a storm is through it. The easiest way is around it. There’s strength that is built through the storm that sometimes cannot be built any other way. Don’t despise the storm. It may be there to strengthen you.
He’s still God. Whether He saves you or tests your swimming skills, He’s still God. Whether the storm or weather the storm. We need Him for both.
Welcome to hurricane season. It’s that time of the year for us in the south. From Texas to North Carolina, we’re all now subject to the possibility of hurricanes through November. I’ve lived in Florida my whole life and as strange as it sounds, I’ve been through thunderstorms that were worse than hurricanes. I’m not taking hurricanes lightly, but I have lived through this phenomenon a few times.
There’s just something helpless and hopeful about these storms. Helpless in the fact that you really can’t do anything about it. You can’t control the weather like Jesus (unless you have faith of a mustard seed). But there’s something hopeful in knowing that the storm isn’t here to stay. It will run its course, dump its wind and rain, then dissipate.
Sometimes life is similar to hurricane season and thunderstorms in this way. You know they’re coming. You know you can’t really control them. You know they can be unpredictable. You know they may cause damage. But you also know you can prepare for them. And sometimes you can’t…
In the end of the book of Acts, chapter 27 more specifically, we find a truly incredible storm story. Paul, as a prisoner, is being taken to Rome to await trial. It will be the last trip he takes.
He urges the Romans in charge not to leave, but they don’t listen. After a short time, a huge storm comes upon them. They eventually throw just about everything on the boat that isn’t a human into the sea. The storm rages for fourteen days. Yes, that’s right. Fourteen days on a boat through a storm.
One interesting point about this story is that God chooses to save all lives on the boat, but not the boat itself. Paul had work that God wanted him to do on the island to which they would be shipwrecked. There’s a few things that come to mind while thinking about that.
Here’s the first: God is still God whether He saves you from or protects you through the storm.
However God chooses to use the storm is completely up to Him. He is sovereign. His thoughts and ways are higher than ours. This is where trust and faith come in handy.
Paul had divine appointments that he had to keep so God made sure he kept them. Divine appointments require divine intervention, and divine intervention often times looks very unconventional. Here’s a few examples: Moses was sent away so he could deliver… Saul (later Paul) was blinded so he could see… the Savior was crucified so He could save. The list goes on.
Sometimes a shipwreck can be a sign of grace or mercy. Sometimes God saves us from, sometimes He saves us for, and sometimes He saves us through. And by through I don’t just mean beyond the storm; I also mean by way of the storm. Jonah is an example of that. And the people of Malta that Paul ministers to in Acts 28 are another example, because divine intervention is often times unconventional.
The second thing that comes to mind with this story is this: just because He sinks your ship doesn’t mean He won’t save you. Maybe, just maybe, the saving is IN the sinking. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:25 that prior to this trip to Rome, he has been shipwrecked on three separate occasions and once a day and night in the open sea. One may choose to chalk this up to bad luck or poor seamanship, but I choose to see protection, provision, and divine appointments being kept.
Storms of life come for all of us. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) Jesus tells us that the sun shines on the evil and the good, and that it rains on the just and unjust. And John 16:33 records Him telling us that we will have troubles or trials, or tribulations. Pick whichever word you like.
We all have to deal with storms. The main question isn’t if or even when. The main question is how. How do we weather the storm? By standing on the firm foundation, the solid rock that is Christ Jesus. How do you whether the storm? That one is on you. The perspective you choose will determine that.
Strength isn’t just to weather the storm, strength is for whether the storm. Whether He saves you or sinks your ship. Whether He protects you from or protects you through. Whether He provides an escape or provides the endurance. He is still God.
The quickest way beyond a storm is through it. The easiest way is around it. There’s strength that is built through the storm that sometimes cannot be built any other way. Don’t despise the storm. It may be there to strengthen you.
He’s still God. Whether He saves you or tests your swimming skills, He’s still God. Whether the storm or weather the storm. We need Him for both.
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Indeed! Those whose roots run deep in the strength of the Lord grow stronger still.