"In the Midst of the Storm"

“In the Midst of the Storm”

 

Karen and I returned from our New Hampshire trip (see the previous article, “More Than a Game”) on September 5, just in time to prepare for the visit from Hurricane Irma on September 10. While it had weakened after landfall it still brought devastation to our area from flooding, downed trees and power outages (in some places for two weeks or more). But in the midst of the storm it was encouraging to see people working together and reaching out to one another.

Karen and I were among those blest beyond our imagination in that we had no damage whatsoever to our house and were without electricity for only 24 hours. Because we’d been spared from much hardship we had an obligation to those not nearly as fortunate (“Much is required from those to whom much is given….”—Luke 12:48, NLT). And God opened doors for us to assist others in tangible ways as well as through prayer. Our church stepped up by shipping truckloads of food and supplies to areas of Florida which were hardest hit, making its facility available as a regional center for FEMA distribution of food and water, receiving a special offering to help meet other needs and praying for those affected. We feel privileged to have been a part of the church being the church.

Someone once observed that we have no right to ask “Why me?” in bad times unless we ask the same question when our circumstances are good. We wonder why we were protected from loss but my cousins Murry and Vicky lost everything in the Louisiana floods in the spring of 2016. We don’t know why (and likely never will this side of Heaven) but in our emails back and forth Murry and Vicky shared how their faith sustained them in the midst of their storm. Would I have handled it in the same way? I honestly don’t know.

Shortly before Irma arrived one of the ladies in our Home Bible Study texted the group and suggested we all read Psalm 91. In part it says, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty…He alone is my refuge, my place of safety…Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day…When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them.” (Verses 1,2,5,15—NLT). In the words of a great hymn, “What more can He say than to you He hath said, To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?” Amen!!

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan