A PERFECT STORM

THESE ARE TWO OF THE PHOTOS THAT CAME OUT OF A TERRIBLE STORM IN CALGARY ON SATURDAY PAST. BEAUTY IN THEIR TERRIBLENESS. 

WE SEEM TO BE IN THE MIDST OF A PERFECT STORM.  WE ARE DROWNING IN THE TIME OF COVID.  WE ARE LOST IN THE MIDST OF THIS ECONOMIC FALL-OUT.  AND NOW WE HAVE THE ISSUES OF RACISM CAUSING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. (GEORGE FLOYD AND NOW RAYSHARD BROOKS COME TO MIND)

UNSTABLE WEATHER CONTINUES TO OCCUR ALL OVER THE WORLD AND WE’RE JUST WAITING FOR THE MURDER HORNETS TO ARRIVE (HA HA).

WHAT IS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR IN ALL OF THIS?  I BELIEVE IT’S FEAR.

Saint Francis de Sales SAID, “NEVER BE IN A HURRY; DO EVERYTHING QUIETLY AND IN A CALM SPIRIT. DO NOT LOSE YOUR INNER PEACE FOR ANYTHING WHATSOEVER,EVEN IF YOUR WHOLE WORLD SEEMS UPSET.”   

THIS IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE.  DOES IT SEEM SOMETIMES THAT GOD IS SILENT? 

DO YOU REMEMBER THE BIBLICAL SCENE WHERE JESUS IS ASLEEP IN THE BOAT AND THE APOSTLES ARE FREAKING OUT BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN STORM THAT IS THRASHING THEM ABOUT?   I SOMETIMES HAVE TO PRAY, “I BELIEVE , HELP MY UNBELIEF”. Mark 9:23- 25 -BECAUSE IN THESE TIMES IT IS HARD NOT TO BE AFRAID.

I HAVE HAD TIMES IN MY LIFE THAT I HAVE YELLED AT GOD. FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN WITH ME, MY HIP DISLOCATES, AND I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO CALL AN AMBULANCE (BEFORE I HAD A CELL PHONE!). I WAS ANGRY AND FEARFUL AND CRIED OUT, ‘PLEASE HELP ME!” AND HE DID. IT IS O.K. TO SHOUT OUT TO GOD THIS WAY.

DOES GOD CARE WHEN WE FEEL LIKE WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS STORM?  I INVITE YOU TO PRAY.  Trevor Hudson SAYS THAT WE’RE NOT GIVING GOD INFORMATION BUT ‘ACCESS’ WHEN WE PRAY.  WE DRAW TOWARDS A FATHER WHO CARES.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE IMAGES I HAVE HEARD LATELY IS FROM Mimi Dixon WHO COMPARED GOD’S SILENCE TO PARENTS WHO TRY AND TEACH THEIR CHILDREN TO WALK.  THEY STABILIZE THEIR CHILD, LET GO, AND BACK UP A FEW PACES TO ALLOW THE CHILD TO TAKE THEIR FIRST STEPS. 

THE CHILD WILL FALL , THE PARENT WILL RAISE THEM UP AND LET GO AGAIN. THE CHILD TAKES A FEW STEPS AND FALLS ONCE MORE.  THIS PROCESS IS REPEATED WITH THE PARENT STANDING BACK UNTIL THEIR CHILD IS ABLE TO WALK ON THEIR OWN.

AND LIKE THIS PARENT, GOD IS WATCHING HOW WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THESE TIMES AND HE MIGHT BE STANDING BACK RIGHT NOW AND WATCHING HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. ‘HEAVEN IS HOLDING ITS BREATH AND BURSTS INTO APPLAUSE WHEN WE MAKE IT THROUGH.’

CAN WE TRUST THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS SCARY TIME ?  YES! PRAYING THE PSALMS CAN BE A GREAT HELP AS MOST OF THEM WERE WRITTEN WHEN THE AUTHORS WERE ALSO STRUGGLING AND CRYING OUT TO GOD.

WE CAN TRUST THAT WE’RE NOT ALONE . HE IS WITH US IN THE STORM.