When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,but the righteous is established forever.
Provers 10:25 (ESV)*
There are storms in life that are unavoidable.
...a mother lost her job due to cutbacks, and the family now faces loosing their home.
...a young couple rushes to the hospital. Something is wrong with her pregnancy, and doctors tell her the baby might be lost.
...a college-aged girl is raped on a date. When she builds up enough courage to report the incident, the police officer suggests it is simply a case of "after-sex remorse" and refuses to investigate.
...a grieving mother loses her adult daughter to cancer, and is left with two impaired grandchildren to raise.
The word "tempest" above could also be translated "storm", "Hurricane", "whirlwind", or even "tornado". It refers to a violent, swirling, destructive force that destroys everything in its path. Notice, the verse doesn't say that only the wicked will endure storms. Everyone will, even Christians. As long as we live in this world, we will experience storms that threaten our very existence.
But storms can be survived, if one has the proper foundation. For those who refuse to trust in God, they literally "disappear" into the storm. In other words, the storms of life consume them. They are destroyed spiritually, emotionally, and perhaps even physically.
Yet, the storm is not all-powerful. It can be survived. Those who trust in the Lord have been given a strong foundation. Yes, the storm still rages on. But like the big, bad wolf at the house made of bricks, all it can do is 'huff and puff' and threaten. The house is never coming down.
Fellow believers, your house is built on the rock of Jesus Christ. It cannot be cracked or shifted. In the face of your storms, remember who you are---and trust in the Great Builder.
Prayer
Merciful Father,
In you,
we survive the storms of life.
In your Spirit,
we are granted comfort during the tempest.
In your Son,
we are built upon a rock no whirlwind can move.
May we trust in you.
Amen.
Merciful Father,
In you,
we survive the storms of life.
In your Spirit,
we are granted comfort during the tempest.
In your Son,
we are built upon a rock no whirlwind can move.
May we trust in you.
Amen.
* All Scripture taken from the English Standard Version.
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