Isaiah 25:4
“For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.”
Many places in the world are subject to devastating storms. Within the U.S., the northern states face blizzards, while the south is subject to hurricanes and the Midwest has its tornados. In order to be safe, when one of these natural disasters strike, certain preparations must be done ahead of time. One of the most important, is to have a structure that can withstand the severe cold or intense winds that come with these storms. Proper preparations go all the way back to when the house was built.
A few years ago I watched as some friends built a new home. They used concrete block instead of wood, windows designed to withstand 150 mph winds, the roof was attached with hurricane straps, and in the center of the house, they built a safe room with concrete walls and a steel door. It was not long before a storm hit and most of the residents in our town evacuated. This family not only stayed, but actually opened their home up to some folks who had no where to go. After the storm, many homes were severely damaged, but their’s remained intact, having withstood all the storm brought upon it.
I think there is a vital spiritual lesson for us here. It is one that Isaiah understood. He wrote,
“For You have been… A refuge from the storm… For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.”
Isaiah understood that in this life, terrible storms will come. He also understood that if we are going to withstand them, we need a refuge strong enough to handle whatever terrible blast may come. Certainly, the Lord is a refuge that will hold up to any blast life can bring. However, it is important to remember that the time to prepare for the storm is not when it is upon us, but years in advance. If we want to benefit from the refuge the Lord offers, the best thing to do is to build our lives upon Him during the seasons of rest. He will be there for us in the times of greatest difficulty, but we will benefit the most if we draw near to Him now.
Don’t wait until you are being hit by disaster to cry out to God. Begin today to build your life on the solid Rock of Christ, by turning to Him and getting to know His Word.
Pastor Jim
Israel stood on the edge of the Promised Land. Soon they would cross the Jordan and face the giants. After forty years in the wilderness, their task had not become any easier. Knowing he was about to die, Moses reminded the people of their true source of strength.
As Peter’s eyes left Jesus and began to focus on his surroundings, his great faith failed and he began to sink. In desperation he cried out, “Lord, save me” to which Jesus replied, first with a stretched out hand, then with gentle rebuke.
Out on the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of a great tempest, we find the disciples fearing for their lives. When they cry out to Jesus for help, He responds with a question. “Why are you afraid?” Naturally, they had much reason to fear. The storm was great, many in the boat were unaccustomed to the sea and it’s ways, and fear has a way of spreading from one to another. To make matters worse, when they looked to Jesus, He seemed to not care about their plight. He was sleeping while they were suffering. It seems they had reason to fear. On the other hand, they had been traveling with Jesus. They lived through the chapter we just read. They saw Him cleanse the leper and heal the crowds. If they had only looked back at what Jesus had done, they would have had great comfort for what they were facing.
Jim Gallagher 