The Storms of Life

"He commands and raises the stormy wind,

which lifts up the waves of the sea"

Psalm 107:25

Well as you probably know, the northeastern coast of the U.S. is getting hit pretty hard this week.  Hurricane Sandy is making herself known.  It sounds like it's going to be an unusually large hurricane, affecting more than a quarter of the population.   Not to mention the two winter storms that are coming down from Canada.   I've been praying off and on all day for people whose power is out, and people who might lose their homes, and rescue personnel in several states.

But you know what occurred to me today?  That very often, those who need to be rescued, are those who refused to evacuate when it was recommended.  There are voluntary evacuations, and mandatory evacuations, but even when they're mandatory, you can't be forced to leave.  Somehow I love that about America.  But at the same time, it strikes me as irresponsible to cause others to put themselves in danger to rescue you.

But that's what rescuers do; God bless 'em.

And that brings me to the Book of Judges.  Irresponsible behavior followed by compassionate rescuing --> Israelites, meet God.

Have you ever read the Book of Judges?  It's notable for its very repetitive cycle.  The Israelites sin by serving other gods, and God lets them suffer the consequences of their sin.  Then they cry out to Him in their misery, so He sends a judge to lead them back to a lifestyle of obedience.  They obey for awhile, then start marrying out of their culture, and serving the gods of that culture.

God does get angry.  Scripture talks about His anger many times.  Moses said in Deuteronomy 9:7-8, "Do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness.  From that day that you departed from the land of Egypt, until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord... and you provoked the Lord to wrath so that the Lord was angry enough with you to have destroyed you."

See, sometimes, when there's a storm in my life, it's God.  Sometimes the bad thing in your life, is God.  It's God allowing you or me to go through the consequences of our rebellion.  It's not about being judgmental; would you think a police officer judgmental if he gave you a ticket?  You might be mad, but you'd understand that you brought it on yourself.

* Note:  the preceding is not some sort of subliminal message 

implying that Hurricane Sandy is a punishment from God.  

I'm not in a position to claim that it is.  

As far as I know, it's just a storm ~ meteorologically speaking.

The Lord is the shelter, but He's also the storm you get when you step away from the shelter.   He'll rescue you when you need rescuing, but you need to understand that you're the one that caused you to need rescuing.   And rescue is only a prayer away.

~ "He calms the storm, so that its waves are still" ~

Psalm 107:29