Through the Storm - DevoMail with Skip Heitzig

I have to confess something: My favorite channel on television is the Weather Channel. Somebody once told me, "That's like MTV for old people," but I still like it. Their meteorologists are pretty busy right now, because we're at the peak of hurricane season. This week, Hurricane Gustav blew into the continental U.S. without doing too much damage, and right now there are three more storms strung out across the Atlantic--Hanna, Ike and Josephine. Ike is now officially a hurricane, and Hanna is widening. Where these storms will go, and what damage they will do, remains to be seen. But since these storms are certain, those in their path need to be prepared.

Acts 27 is an exciting story of some people who were unprepared for a storm, and of another who trusted God. I encourage you to read it. Paul was being taken to Rome by ship as a prisoner. He was an experienced traveler, and he knew the voyage was dangerous because of the time of year; he could predict that storms were ahead. So he warned the crew, but they sailed on anyway (Acts 27: 9Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them, 10"Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also." 11But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.). Like our hurricanes, the storm they encountered also had a name, Euroclydon. They were at the mercy of the winds for two full weeks, as they threw everything overboard in the attempt just to survive. All they could do was to wait for it to blow through.

When they had all lost hope, Paul told them of seeing "an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve." The angel told him not to fear, and that everyone would live. "Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me" (Acts 27:23Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.). Paul knew that God owned him, and that he was serving God. And, most importantly, he trusted God.

We all face hardships--storms--in our lives. Though we can't predict when, we know they will come. Storms are certain. You have endured yours, as I have mine. And we have been changed by them, hopefully for the better.

But being changed for the better involves your level of trust in God. So here's the most important point: Storms can bolster your confidence in God. They can make you better--if you remain calm in the midst of the storm and trust Him.

Today, there may not be a hurricane threatening to blow your home away. Your storm might be an illness, a divorce, a financial reversal, a child running from God. But know this: God will bring you through the storm. Ask yourself these three questions: Are you His? Are you serving Him? Are you trusting Him? I hope you can say "yes" to all three. I hope you can say, with Paul, "I believe God...just as He told me."

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