Don’t Be Afraid of the Storm
Introduction
As the night fell on Friday, September 23, 2005, our hearts were pondering as we heard the roaring sounds of fast winds revolving around us in that lone farm house. The light began to flicker as the gust gained its momentum, and the blast of trees shivering around us. The powerful wind began to shake the house and windows and people in the house began to pace around the house with worry and fear. Many of them were not even able to sleep.
That was the night I rode through the third-most intense hurricane in the history, Hurricane Rita. Indeed, the eye of the hurricane passed through us that night, stalling for 2 hours around the house with the gust speed of 120 mph. That night, the hurricane damaged almost every building in the community of Kirbyville, where I was. It snapped half of pine trees in the forest directly behind us, and several trees in the property of this house. Amazingly, the house only suffered minor exterior damage and everyone was safe.
Before the storm began to shake the area, we gathered together in a living room for a prayer time. We prayed earnestly and asked for His protection. I believe during that prayer time we reached to the throne of God, and He heard our cries.That night, I learned a valuable lesson, “you do not have to be afraid of the storm if you are prepared.”
A week prior to this event, our church released a choir CD, “Don’t Be Afraid of the Rain.” The chorus of this Christy Ballestero’s cover song states “Don’t be afraid of the rain, don’t be afraid of the storm…” Seven days later, our church family was displaced all across the North America escaping from the deadly storm that destroyed majority of our city. Coincidentally, there is another song in this CD, “Everything is gonna be all right.” Perhaps, the Lord was trying to teach us not to be afraid of the storm because everything is gonna be all right.
As a result of the storm, Beaumont, was shut down. We may be displaced for weeks. Many of our parishioners have lost their homes, and received great damage in their properties. Our church is not operational receiving great damage in our buildings. Perhaps, the storm will cost our community over two billion dollars. Yet, the Lord still wants to speak to our hearts today, “Don’t be afraid of the storm.”
A solid house with a solid foundation
In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus Christ taught a valuable lesson from the stories of two houses. One man went out to build a house on sand. It probably was on the gorgeous white sandy beach front with blue water. It probably was a beautiful and comfortable house that everyone loved and enjoyed. On the other hand, another man went and built his house on the rock. Perhaps, his priority did not rest in beauty or environment, but he made sure that his house would be on the rock.
As the story unfolds, the storm would hit this area and shake both houses. The wind and pouring down rain destroyed that gorgeous house on the beach. However, the house on the rock withstood, and went through the storm.
What was the difference? One house was a solid house built upon a solid rock, and it was able to withstand the storm. On the other hand, the other house was not strong. The foundation made the difference. Jesus Christ taught us through this passage that you don’t have to be afraid of the storm if you build your house on a solid foundation.
Are you prepared for the storm?
Before Noah had to face his storm, God gave him an opportunity to prepare himself. Noah followed and obeyed God’s instruction. When the storm came and destroyed everything, he was in the ark of safety where God had allowed him to prepare. As he got into the ark, I doubt he was afraid of the storm but he was looking for the rainbow on the other side of the flood. If we follow His instruction, He will allow us to prepare for the storm. He will always allow the righteous to prepare for the storm.
Promises of God
Psalm 37:25 states “…yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” That is the promise of God. When Job’s storm hit his life, he understood this promise. His response to his storm was,”…Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Through his tragedy he always knew, “my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” He did not know or understand why he was going through his storm, but he held on to his promise that God would always take care the righteous as God is his redeemer. In the conclusion of the book of Job, we discover that God not only redeemed everything Job has lost but God gave Job the double portion of what he had owned. That is how my God operates. We do not have to be afraid of the storm if we live our lives based upon the promises of God.
Life is filled with Storms
Perhaps, no one is exempt from the storms of life. Matter of fact, life is filled with storms. It does not necessary has to be a physical storm. Your storm may be financial difficulties, family problems, relationship conflicts, past scars, church disorder, doctrinal confusion, deep emotional pain, deadly disease or loss of loved ones. That is L-I-F-E. Unfortunately, it will rain on just or unjust. Our lives are filled with surprises that could potentially destroy our lives and put us in devastating situation. However, whatever the storm may be in our lives, we have no reason to be afraid of the storm if we build our lives upon Jesus Christ and His promises because everything is going to be all right when you are living for God.
During the middle of the night of July 15th, an Apostolic Pentecostal young lady, the music minister of the local assembly, was killed by the stalker that has been harassing her for sometime. That night the killer broke into her apartment and shot her to death simply because she would not date him. What a horrific event in life. Here is a young lady who is living for God and trying to please God. Her life was taken away by some deranged man without a good reason. Is that fair? Why could not it be someone else? Did she deserve to be killed? Unfortunately, she was my cousin. In the midst of this horrific storm that tore up precious lives, I observed my uncle and aunt who not only lost their daughter but lost the core member and the music minister of the church they pastor. It was definitely devastating. However, I can still hear my uncle reciting Job 1:21 at the graveside service, “LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” As I shed tears that hot, humid afternoon, I realized that their lives were upon the solid rock. They never knew how their lives would be altered by such a terrible incident, but they have put their lives on the rock so that the storms could not destroy and they were prepared for the storm. The event horrified them but they knew where to find the peace. It is in Jesus Christ. If our lives are solid upon the rock, we do not have to be afraid of the storm.
On the other hand, my fifty year old cousin was recently diagnosed with the brain tumor. He was devastated. Here is the man who is in the prime of his life and career, living on the fine line between the life and the death. I felt sorry for him and his family because they do not have Christ in their lives and they are distressed. It reminded how important it is to build my life upon Christ because He gives me the peace in the midst of the storm. What a terrible way to live a life when they can live their lives fully prepared for the storm.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Storm
Today, the wind may be blowing in your life and tearing your life apart. You may not understand why things are happening to you. You may even question and doubt God for allowing you to go through devastating situations in your life. However, I want to remind someone my peace that stormy Friday night. You don’t have to be afraid of the storm because everything is going to be all right. Today, I am excited for how God will turn the horrific Hurricane Rita to bless and impact my life. I know he will bless my life over beyond could ever imagine.
When Jesus heard that Lazarus was dying in John 11, “he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” As the story progresses, you find that Lazarus dies. However, Jesus will miraculously raise Lazarus from the death. Indeed, Lazarus had to die for the glory of God. God has put the storm in your life so that He can be glorified. Don’t be afraid of the storm, but look for the rainbow on the other side of the storm. That is the lesson the lovely Rita taught me.
