Tropical Storm Edouard Reminds Us Of The Purpose Of Storms
As I watch the path of tropical storm Edouard (since I am in Texas), I think about all the preparation that families and city officials took to brace for any events associated with the storm.
As I reflect, not all things associated with a storm are negative. For me, it helps to slow me down from the rigorous and sometimes mundane day-to-day tasks and schedules that we struggle to maintain. Storms like this help us all to think about what really matters in life. Storms help us to reposition, readjust our priorities.
At times like this, we get closer to family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. We should take time to remember the storms of life that we have been through and how through it all we are blessed.
And so I thank God for the storms of life, the tribulations that none of us are immune to. Because during the storms we find our strengths and more about ourselves. And for some of us we find God for the first time.
So remember there is a reason for the storms of life. And remember to learn during storms, to pray during storms, to talk to God during the storms of life, for God truly is our refuge. This brings to mind Isaiah 25, but specifically Isaiah 25:4 which states
4For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
I suggest reading the entire 25th chapter of Isaiah. So here it is:
Isaiah 25
1O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
2For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.
3Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.
4For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
5Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
6And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
9And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
10For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.
11And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
12And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.
God Bless