Storm

The storm is brewing...has been for a few days...and everyone on the Texas and Mexico coast are watching it pretty closely. It hasn't yet hit hurricane status but the winds are picking up and it is getting closer and closer to landfall. We have see the power and destruction of the storms in the past and it is a little unnerving to consider them coming close to our territory once again. So we watch and wait....and "get ready" and prepare the best that we can.

In life we are not always given the heads up as to when storms will come barreling in to our lives. We always know there is potential for one...but we go about our daily routines until we are notified of its arrival, or warned of its advance. Then what? Then we have to draw upon what we have stored up....and hope that we have done an ample job in equipping ourselves for the blow. Our hope is that it will "blow over"...but int he event that iot does hit...how ready are we. How ready is our faith...how ready is our trust..how ready is our confidence that God in his mighty grace will keep us safe through the winds and the rains that befall.

Each day we have been given the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Jesus. But too many times we put it off and wait until a crisis hits or is announced to go seeking his way, his wisdom, and his power. In just a few more days our little group will have completed reading the bible in 90 days. This read has truly effected me in ways that I can not count. Coming from the Old testament where God's promises were made and God's presence was given to those who obeyed and withdrawn from those who didn't ... to fulfillment of his promises and the prophesies of old now founded and established in the the New Testament has made the bible and God's word so much clearer. God's plan is really remarkable....when you see it in its entirety. But I can't help but relate everthing now to what I have read....everything...yes even this storm.

Luke 8
Jesus Calms the Storm
22One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. 23As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

24The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25"Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

You know there were a few storm stories in there....and Jesus calmed the winds and the waters just by the mere power of his word. What is it that we don't get about the importance of trusting Jesus in our everyday walk. It is not that we don't get it...we just let our priorities slide becasue we seemingly don't need it at this moment.....UNTIL a crisis is brewing. Why wait until we are in the boat to ask for guidance...Jeus will surely come then to rescue us and help in in His glorified way....but how much more settled and at peace we would be if only we had prepared ahead of time for the faith that we would need, the security that we would depend on and the foundation of truth in Him who empowers us.

Many of us have been in storms before whose winds of worry and the unknown have literally knocked us off of our feet...and we have lost all bearings. And we know the impact that comes with such storms....but what have we learned from going through them...hopefully that God is faithful.....and helped or is helping you this day to continue to "get" through it. When we go to Jesus and ask for His help...we can not always see it at the moment, thougth sometimes we can, but He is there...we have to believe in that wholeheartedly....and He will prevail.

There is power in the winds and in the rain...oh but there is power at our disposal that exceeds even that...it is the power of the Holy Spirit that resides within us. It is there....living in your heart....for all those who have come to beleive....but we have to activate it with our faith. Kind of like those lights that glow in the dark...for them to be activated they have to be broken and then the light shines....and it is not a light of intensity rather a subtle light of color. So many times it is not until we need Christ and the provisions of his strength , power and wisdom that we call upon him. But why not "be ready" by asking now for his light to be activated before the storm hits. Let your light be shining before the storm comes so that you can be a beacon for those who are lost and need to find their way to him....through their storm.

Christ is the security that we can trust and hold on no matter how rough the waves of life get. He remains steady....and calm and confident...becasue He is God..our only hope of maintaining that aura of peace is through Him. Standing beside HIm, trusting Him, following Him, holding fast to Him and faithfully allowing Him the pleasure and honor of taking care of us...For he loves us with all of his heart and yearns for our relationship with Him, in HIm and through Him to outgrow an earthly love and submit to an eternal one.

Dear Lord, Bless us as we encounter storms of all strengths. Help us to "be ready" and "get ready" for a storm before it hits by activating the Holy Spirit that is within us through our faith in your son Jesus. For there is where our true strength lies....and there is where the power to quiet the storms originates. Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!
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email address: cjodeit@gmail.com
The blog link below has all devotionals from the beginning of the year:

http://simplygod-cathy.blogspot.com/