4-14-2014

 Good Morning All,

        Psalm 107:29; “He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.”

     With the coming of spring, we also get the coming of storms.  For those of us who live on the Great Plains this means the potential for thunderstorms or worse.  These can be terrifying especially for children.  They often don’t understand what is going on.  The loud thunder, the bright flash of lightening, the wind can cause a lot of fear.  It is usually that we do not know what is coming; we don’t know what is out there.  This is part of the fear.  When you can’t see what is coming, we can panic and react with fear.

    Sometimes when the adults are worried is because they know how some past storms had wreaked havoc.  They also tend to listen to the weather forecasts and sometimes this can put extra worry into their thoughts and minds.  In the end the anticipation can be worse than the results.

    As we go through life, we face many storms.  So are great storms; some not so great.  Many are not as bad as we think they might be.  The thing is that the devil and the world will do everything possible to make you see the storm as the greatest event in your life.  The devil will seek to confuse you, to mislead you, to cause you to rush to judgment or to act rashly.  He wants you to see the storm as bigger than it is.  He wants you to fear the wind and the thunder.  He wants you to hear more than there is there.

    God comes to us and he calms the storm.  He calms the storm of uncertainty.  He stills the winds of doubt.  He gives us peace, peace during the greatest storms.  He calms our soul with his grace.  He sends his Spirit to give us hope and comfort.

    The storms will come.  Life in a sinful and broken world will have storms; some will not be calmed in this world or lifetime but they will be calmed.  This is what God tells through Easter.  Through the risen Savior we have the guarantee of life eternal.  This is what we need to calm the storm.

    God gives us the strength to stand up to the devil’s lies.  When the devil wants you to rush; God wants you to pray.  When the devil want you to be confuse; God wants you to be comforted.  When the devil wants you to see the storm as too powerful; God tells you “my grace is sufficient for you.”  God, in his mercy, defends you from the attacks of the devil.  God, in his mercy, gives you peace by calming the winds and the waves.  Trust in God’s grace to see you through.

Father of love, in you we have peace.  Guide us by your Spirit that we may know the calming and the contentment of your grace.  Be with those who are facing great storms today.  Calm them by your Spirit of hope.  Bring them peace.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret