Hurricane Ike came ashore late Friday night on the Texas coast completely covering much of Gavelston Island. Saturday it remained a category 1 hurricane bringing destructive wind and flooding into parts of interior Texas. In Plaquemines Parish, near New Orleans, a sheriff's spokesman said levees were overtopped and floodwaters were higher than either hurricane Katrina or Rita. Unfortunately many people, either by choice or circumstance, rode out the storm. It was surely a terrifying experience.
This weekend we have also heard of a horrible head-on accident between a passenger train and a Union Pacific frieght train. There were many souls lost and many others with critical injuries. Those are just two of the disasters we read about or heard through the media. And, to top it off, last Thursday we remembered the tragic events of September 11, 2001. I think we all remember where we were on that fateful morning and what we were doing. As for me, I was at a men's prayer breafast at Hoke's Cafe in Ogallala, Nebraska. One of the men received a call from his wife when the first plane hit. We all prayed believing it was just a freak accident. Almost before the Amen was out of our mouths we learned of the second plane and then a third and then a fourth and we knew that America was under attack. I still get tears and chills when I think of that. People were jumping from the towers, people were stunned.
And then there are those personal and family disasters we face without any media coverage. It sometimes feels like we are trapped on a barrier island with a raging hurricane bearing down on us. But have you ever noticed that when the eye of the storm is upon us it is calm and clear. There are no winds, no rain, no panic, no fear, "no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain..." That's how the Bible describes the eye of the storm. Scripture says, "behold the old is gone and the new has come." Again Jesus says, "Behold I make all things new." In this world, my friends, there will be many storms. Some of life's storms my only be a cat. 1 but others will reach cat. 5 and the devastation will be significant. Christ promises to keep us safe in the eye where it is peaceful, although the storms are raging around us. This is not to say that there will be no storms in life, because we know there certainly will be. What Jesus does say is, "My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." You see, in the eyes of the world we may be getting pounded. We may be facing catestrophic illness, financial loss, the loss of someone close to us but there is a "peace that passes all understanding." The world does not understand that, but we understand it because we know that our Lord keeps us in the "eye of the storm." Jesus tells us that "those who believe in me will never perish." Our body, or our "earthly tent" as scripture says, will certainly be destroyed. We all know that this life is only temporary whether we live a few years or more than a hundred. From dust we came and to dust we will return. But our life is not in the physical body. Our life is in Christ and the Holy Spirit that indwells us and "we will fly away." Our citizenship is in heaven. From God we came and to Him we will return. Jesus asked a man, "do you believe this." To that the man replied, "Yes Lord, I believe. But help me with my unbelief." That is our cry to him. Help me Lord where my faith is weak. Increase my trust in you. My grandmother used to say, "If you have to see it to believe, then you really don't believe." I now know that she spoke the words of Christ. She also used to sing to me, "It is no secret what God can do. What He's done for others He'll do for you." And no truer words have ever been spoken. God will take care of you. He didn't bring us this far to let us drown in the "Red Sea."
Let God through Christ keep you safe in the "eye of the storm." Remember, He died just for you. Read John 3:16 and in place of world insert your name. If the storm is beating you up and you can't quite feel the calm in the eye, talk to your pastor or priest or Rabbi. Ask a friend to pray for you. Just get on your knees....lift up your eyes and your hands and simply say, "Lord I need to feel the calm in the eye of this storm I am in." See what a wonderful peace he has to offer you.
God Bless each of you and God bless America. And please remember this is "one nation under God." Finally, if you have been blessed and have a few extra bucks please share them with those who are suffering today. You can do so by going to:
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