June 21, 2009
WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH A STORM
“When you walk through a storm, keep your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm there’s a golden sky and the sweet silver sound of the lark. Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone – you’ll never walk alone, again.” Ah, the words of that song bring such comfort to me - it was a song my father sang to my sisters and I as we were growing up. Whenever we went on a trip, when we were scared, when life through us a curve, my father sang that song and we knew it would be ok. In this week’s readings our Heavenly Father is singing the same song – a song of comfort, hope, and promise for a bright future in the midst of the storm. Listen to Him sing….
WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH A STORM – Keep your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark
Job was in the midst of a HUGE storm – his family was gone, his livelihood was gone, his health was gone, his reputation was ruined – he had nothing. His “friends” tried to convince him that it was because of some hidden sin that God was angry with him, and no matter how adamantly Job denied such a charge, his friends persisted. Finally, as a last resort, he cried out to God: “Oh, that I had someone to hear me. I sign my defense – let the Almighty answer me (Job 31:35) Well, Job got his wish – the Almighty answered Him….the LORD answered Job out of the storm. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.”
God never accuses Job of any particular sin, but neither does He proclaim Job’s innocent, AND He never answers his question about why he was going through the storm. Instead, He allows Job to see His goodness, His power, and His presence in the midst of the storm, points Job back to the source of his strength and leads him to trust God no matter what the storm is or if we understand what it’s all about. We don’t always know or understand why we are going through storms, but we can hold our head high trusting in God’s goodness, power, and sovereignty over the storm.
At the end of the storm there’s a golden sky and the sweet silver sound of the lark
While Job points us to God’s goodness, power, and presence in our world, David shows us the flip side of the coin… what it would be like if God wasn’t there…“If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel say- if the LORD had not been on our side… the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us….Psalm 124:1&4 If God had not been on our side, the flood of sin would have engulfed us. But David, like Job, reminds us where our hope and strength lie “Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8 and because of the sweet silver sound of the name of Jesus and the sacrifice He bought for us on the cross – we have the guarantee of a bright golden future.
Walk on, walk on with HOPE in your heart
Boy, you talk about storms in life – Paul’s life was one storm after another: “troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger” (2 Corinthians 6:4b &5). But he never gave up – why, because He knew where his hope lie… in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left”
No matter what storms you may be facing today - walk on, my friend, walk on with the hope of Jesus Christ as your sword, your comfort, and your strength. Look toward the bright golden sky of eternity in heaven; listen to the sweet silver song of His loving voice saying: "Quiet! Be still!" Mark 4:39, and find comfort and rest in the promise that because Jesus is always on your side, you will never walk alone – NEVER!!
Father, thank you for always being there with us in the midst of the storm - Keep our gaze on you as we journey – always hopeful, always trusting, always looking for the golden sky and listening to the sweet silver sound of your love. Bless our time with you this week. We pray in the sweet name of Jesus.
Week ending: June 21, 2009
Monday – (Old Testament)
Job 38:1-11
Read the Job chapters 39 – 41 and marvel at the magnitude of God’s power and goodness
Tuesday – Psalm 124
No matter how bleak things may seem, remember what it would be like without God’s goodness and presence in our world – they call that HELL
Wednesday –(Epistle)
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
As a follower of Jesus – we live in the NOW AND NOT YET Now is the time of God's favor and God's salvation, but we don't have it perfectly yet - that's reserved for when we get to heaven
Thursday – (Gospel)
Mark 4:35-41
Just one Word from Jesus and Ta Da –the storms quiet down.
Friday – reread Psalm 124 – what is your Storm Story and how did God get you through?
Saturday – SHARE your storm stories and use it as an opening to sharing the Gospel of Jesus
Sunday – Listen to the sweet silver sound of God’s love through His Word
