Weather the Storm

Today’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Job 42
NT: John 19
W&W: Proverbs 6

Today’s Reflection:
Lana and I have done a lot of traveling in the last month, but have enjoyed it. Today we are taking off toward the North. There is a line of storms between us and Cincinnati where we are headed. We will not like traveling through the storms, but we will come out of them and arrive at our destination.

Yesterday we read how “The Lord spoke to Job out of the storm.” Throughout the book that bears his name, we hear Job speaking out of his storm as well. At the end he confesses that he spoke of things he did not understand, things too wonderful for him to know (Job 42.3).

Yet in it all, he never surrendered his claim on integrity nor did he question God’s righteousness and wisdom. What he had said about God he said rightly (42.7, 8). In the storm, however, Job spoke of things he did not understand about his own life. He spoke of sorrow and regret and anguish and even at times of despair. He could not see beyond his storm. But God could! And after the storm, the end of Job’s life was more blessed than the beginning.

Lana and I have recently come through a couple storms of a different kind than the one we are traveling through today. In those storms, we have admittedly spoken of things we did not understand. When you are in the midst of the storm it is hard to understand and speak correctly, isn’t it? For us it is… but not for God! Through the times of our daughter’s divorce and my change in ministry, God has blessed us more than at the beginning.

Yes, this life has storms, but after our storms we enter into a whole new world. It is different from what we could ever understand in the midst of the storm. It is more wonderful than we can imagine. The New Testament assures us, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2.9).

Weather the storm, traveler! Hold on to your integrity and trust in God’s goodness. Remember, your word in the storm is not final. Let God speak things too wonderful for you to know!

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
1 John 1.2: The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.