| They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” |
| —Mark 4:41 |
Many of us watched the movie Twister that came out in 1996. Remember the flying cow? The story made for good entertainment. But, it also showed the deadly nature of the damage that flying debris from such a storm can cause. People in this movie became fascinated with tornadoes and that fascination continues in real life today. I even found a website devoted to facts about such storms. Did you know that every tornado has its own color, sound, and shape?
In 1931, a tornado in Mississippi lifted an 83 ton train and tossed it 80 feet from the track. And, speaking of flying debris, a tornado destroyed a motel in Oklahoma and people later found the motel’s sign in Arkansas!
Sometimes life can feel like a tornado. We can feel that we are caught in the path of “flying objects” that threaten to kill or maim us, and threaten to change forever the way of life we’ve known. Often, in such a “storm,” we don’t know where to run or hide. Nothing makes sense. And, even the familiar landmarks we had always used to guide our way seem to have disappeared.
The story of Jesus calming the storm, found in Matthew 8:23-27, tells us that the storm came “without warning.” Meteorologists struggle to predict tornadoes and other such deadly storms. These storms appear suddenly with little time to warn people in their path.
So, what does Scripture tell us about surviving storms, whether we get hit with flying debris or not? Jesus rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith. He wants us to trust Him and remain at peace—hardly an easy task when we see the terrifying objects swirling around us.
In Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus told His disciples:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Notice Jesus insists that in order to stay standing when “the winds blow and beat against the house,” we need to build a strong foundation of hearing God’s written Word and obeying it.
I like the story of Elijah who had fled to Horeb. He was fleeing a “storm” in his own life. But, the Lord had an even bigger lesson for this prophet. In 1 Kings 19:11-12 we read:
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. [that is: a still, small voice].
Sometimes it seems that storms come one on top of the other. And, we cannot get our bearings, even enough to hear what God says to us. But, we can be assured that He will stay with us in the boat. He does cover us in the wind and in the earthquake and in the fire. Eventually, we will hear His voice speaking peace to us: “Everything is under my control. Don’t fear the flying debris. My love surrounds you!”
