Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
If you live in this neighborhood, southwest Ohio, you are likely to witness a storm or two. I live in the same house I did in 1974 when the BIG APRIL storm blew through Xenia on this date 43 years ago. I just lived up the street in a neighboring development when the 2000 tornado rolled over that neighborhood. I even watched “IKE”, another memorable storm from the same perch as I did the ’74 twister.
So, thinking back to that 1974 April 3rd made me think I have seen my share of storms. In fact, I was having lunch with a new partner, Pastor Paula from New Hope near Cincinnati and she was a Cedarville student living in Xenia when that epic storm blew through 43 years ago. In fact, it was likely we were in the same neighborhood trying to help at the same time.
Storms do come.
But storms do go too.
I can remember the day after the 2000 tornado was perfectly clear and beautiful.
I seem to remember the same about the ’74 storm.
So, as I am reflecting on some of those memories like many Xenians do today, the LORD sent a song I recently shared on OFH to my mind again.
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The truth is clear in that little lyric about storms.
Even when the storm is at its full-throated roar, GOD is still firmly in charge and HE is with me (and you!).
But we tend to forget that fact when the intense storms of life start brewing, swirling, and dumping their goods on us. We focus on the chaos; fearful of the damage it is doing instead of remembering WHO is still in charge of the storm (Matthew 8) and who is right by our side when the thunder is rolling, the wind howling and the hail pelting.
He made the storm be still… Psalm 107:29 (ESV)
I know it is easy when we are going through a “life-storm” to be taken by surprise or worse yet to become fixated on it and the damage it is doing.
But GOD encourages us to fix our gaze beyond the storm and on to Him.
Perhaps this morning the conditions in your life are pointing toward a big storm on the horizon. Maybe you are already in the middle of one this morning like many were in just a few hours from now in 1974 in Xenia.
Don’t be fearful. Listen to that lyric and believe it.
“Jesus is with me when the storm clouds gather. He is standing by my side when the thunder rolls. He holds my hand when the world begins to tremble when the winds of this world are blowing strong!”
I love you all!
OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE
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