So, I'm making my first ever appearance on the Team Myers' blog. Bonnie is an avid writer and she generally communicates what is going on with both of us and she does it very well. However, I would like to begin periodically sharing what God is teaching me and how He sustains me/us in the midst of this crazy world.
I recently heard the song, "Who'll Stop the Rain," by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Now, I do not claim to understand everything John Fogerty intended for this song to mean, but it did trigger some thoughts of my own. The first verse goes like this:
Long as I remember the rain's been comin' down.
Clouds of mys'try pourin' confusion on the ground.
Good men through the ages, tryin' to find the sun;
And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain?
It is the common experience of man for storms to come and go in our lives. It happens to everyone at one point or another and to some it happens more intensely than others. Bonnie and I are no different. As you have probably read on our blog a time or two, we are in the midst of a very hard rain. We long for the rain to stop and we are often tempted to wonder if God is ever going to stop the rain. And, if the like the song goes, we were to ask the question, "Who'll stop the rain?" and never have an answer, then our lives would be bitter and not worth living. Yet, we do have an answer and that's what I want to share with you.
A passage that I often come back to is Psalm 93. This psalm has great personal benefit when life is tumultuous. I reference the entire psalm below since it has only five verses.
1 The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.
4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!
5 Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore.
This passage tells us important details about God's reign over the earth. First, He has always reigned and He will always reign over the entire creation (v. 1-2). Second, floods will revolt against God's reign (v. 3). Third, for every storm that comes into the Christian's life (this connection is made in many New Testament passages) God answers every flood and wave with His might Three times the passage says that the floods lifted up and three times God answered with His might (v. 4). Finally, God can be trusted because His word is true and He is holy (v. 5). He does not NOT follow through on His promises.
What is our take-away from this? God is strong and mighty, able, and willing to stop the rain.
Another passage that provides great comfort is found in Matthew 8:24-27. This passage points to Jesus' great power over nature.
24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but [Jesus] was asleep.
25 And [the discples] went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."
26 And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
Who in the world do the waves of the sea listen to?!?! Can you imagine if I went to the edge of the New Orleans' shoreline and said to Tropical Storm Lee, "Calm down!"? I would immediately be washed away. But, Jesus... Jesus has the power and authority to calm the seas because HE MADE THEM. And it's a smooth transition to say that Jesus has the power to calm the storms in our lives. And he will in his time. He certainly has in the past. I am thankful that Jesus has never forsaken us and he never will. Whether this stormy adoption is resolved in two months or two years, I know that God will eventually calm this storm. And even when the storms rage on the outside, God is able to accomplish peace in our hearts (Philippians 4:7). If He did not do this, then we would be overcome with stress and grief!
Thank you, Jesus, that you will bring an end to this storm eventually and until that time you will sustain us with peace in our hearts and your very presence near us.
jm
I recently heard the song, "Who'll Stop the Rain," by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Now, I do not claim to understand everything John Fogerty intended for this song to mean, but it did trigger some thoughts of my own. The first verse goes like this:
Long as I remember the rain's been comin' down.
Clouds of mys'try pourin' confusion on the ground.
Good men through the ages, tryin' to find the sun;
And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain?
It is the common experience of man for storms to come and go in our lives. It happens to everyone at one point or another and to some it happens more intensely than others. Bonnie and I are no different. As you have probably read on our blog a time or two, we are in the midst of a very hard rain. We long for the rain to stop and we are often tempted to wonder if God is ever going to stop the rain. And, if the like the song goes, we were to ask the question, "Who'll stop the rain?" and never have an answer, then our lives would be bitter and not worth living. Yet, we do have an answer and that's what I want to share with you.
A passage that I often come back to is Psalm 93. This psalm has great personal benefit when life is tumultuous. I reference the entire psalm below since it has only five verses.
1 The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.
4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!
5 Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore.
This passage tells us important details about God's reign over the earth. First, He has always reigned and He will always reign over the entire creation (v. 1-2). Second, floods will revolt against God's reign (v. 3). Third, for every storm that comes into the Christian's life (this connection is made in many New Testament passages) God answers every flood and wave with His might Three times the passage says that the floods lifted up and three times God answered with His might (v. 4). Finally, God can be trusted because His word is true and He is holy (v. 5). He does not NOT follow through on His promises.
What is our take-away from this? God is strong and mighty, able, and willing to stop the rain.
Another passage that provides great comfort is found in Matthew 8:24-27. This passage points to Jesus' great power over nature.
24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but [Jesus] was asleep.
25 And [the discples] went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."
26 And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
Who in the world do the waves of the sea listen to?!?! Can you imagine if I went to the edge of the New Orleans' shoreline and said to Tropical Storm Lee, "Calm down!"? I would immediately be washed away. But, Jesus... Jesus has the power and authority to calm the seas because HE MADE THEM. And it's a smooth transition to say that Jesus has the power to calm the storms in our lives. And he will in his time. He certainly has in the past. I am thankful that Jesus has never forsaken us and he never will. Whether this stormy adoption is resolved in two months or two years, I know that God will eventually calm this storm. And even when the storms rage on the outside, God is able to accomplish peace in our hearts (Philippians 4:7). If He did not do this, then we would be overcome with stress and grief!
Thank you, Jesus, that you will bring an end to this storm eventually and until that time you will sustain us with peace in our hearts and your very presence near us.
jm
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