Rest in the Storm

‘These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage I have overcome the world.’

John 16: 33 NASB

Charles Spurgeon told a story of how, during a sudden storm, a woman on a ship became very terrified.
She was so distraught that she found her husband, who happened to be the ship’s captain,
and said, ‘I don’t understand how you can be so calm while I am totally terrified.’
Her husband calmly walked across his quarters and picked up his sword.
He took it and aimed it at the centre of her chest, but she only laughed.
Then he asked, ‘Why aren’t you afraid of this sword? It could slay you in less than a minute.’
His wife replied, ‘I am not afraid of a sword that is wielded by the hand of my husband.’
‘Then neither am I,’ said the captain, ‘afraid of a storm in the hand of my Heavenly Father.’

The Daily Way Michael Youssef

Storms are a part of life, and in the past fifteen months due to the coronavirus pandemic
the whole world has been experiencing severe storms and immense losses which have left us drained:
spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.
There are times when the waters rise and the waves seem to be so big
that it can feel like we’re just holding on; battered by winds that beat against us.
It’s not a case of ‘if’, but when these storms come how do we navigate through them
because without a plan we crumble and get swept away by the gales.
The verse quoted in the introduction tells us that we can be assured of God’s peace.
When we make space for God to move within us through the Holy Spirit a different perspective begins to emerge.
This isn’t wishful thinking or living in denial of what we are facing;
on the contrary it is acknowledging what is happening and putting matters in perspective.
It is seeing them through the lens of our identity in Christ,
the power of the finished work of the cross and our position with Jesus as sons and daughters.
We do not diminish our trials and tribulations, but we operate from a position and perspective of eternal security,
so that in the middle of the storm, we remain in a state of rest.

‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.’

John 14: 27 NASB

Mark 4: 37–41, tells the story of a ferocious storm which came up suddenly while Jesus and the disciples were crossing the Lake of Galilee.
Jesus was asleep in the boat, the disciples were panicking and worrying that they would die.
They woke Jesus, who calmed the storm and asked his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’
In our daily lives, especially in the midst of the storm, do we remember to lean on God for security, trust and authority?

Reflections

1) Security – Jesus was able to rest because he knew who he was; in his Father. his future and destiny were completely submitted to God.
Jesus trusted God to work the circumstances for good, no matter how bad things may look.
In our insecurity and immaturity are we loosing hope in this pandemic storm?
Or are we confident that our Heavenly Father is with us every step of the way?

2) Trust – When the waves get higher are we secure in who holds us?
His track record is good. Sometimes, we stop trusting the one who is leading us and take back the reins ourselves.
Are we displaying faith in God during the storm?

3) Authority – We can find rest in any trial when we understand the authority we contain as sons and daughters of God.
When the disciples were not able to get the demon out of the man’s son,
Jesus explained ‘Because you’re not taking God seriously. The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith,
a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, “Move!” and it would move.
There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.’ (Matthew 17: 20 Message Study Bible)
Do we know that we have the power of God within us through his Holy Spirit?

Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, your presence has been with us through all the challenges and storms of our earthly lives providing for us and protecting us,
help us to deepen our security, trust and authority in you.
Help us to take courage in knowing that no matter how big the waves get
or how strong the wind blows, you are greater and the battle is not ours to fight as you fight for us.
Father, we pray for our family, friends and neighbours who don’t know you as they would find life even more difficult in weathering the storms.
Please reveal yourself to them and show us practical ways in which we can be your hands and feet to them, even if it is inconvenient.

Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Amen

Father God, we thank you for the success of the G7 Summit,
in that the leaders of developed countries have committed themselves to providing vaccines
and other vital supplies for the less developed countries in our world.
Please let them act with urgency and diligence in carrying out their pledges;
because no one is safe from the virus until all are safe.

Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Amen

Eternal God and Father, help us to entrust the past to your mercy,
the present to your love and the future to your wisdom,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the same yesterday, and today and forever.

Amen

Source unknown

Father God, help us to know that you are not limited by social distancing and self-isolation,
please remind us of your everlasting love for us, your goodness and your greatness when we get lost in our concerns today.

Amen

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm,
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake , wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm.

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)

Church family, as we go out into this new day, may we replace the storm in our hearts with God’s peace.

Glynne Gordon-Carter