A Refuge from the Storm {Thankful Thursdays}

When you are raised in an area that is susceptible to tornadoes, you grow up being taught what to watch for when dark clouds move in.  Watching the sky, it didn't take long to know something was brewing.

It was a month ago when the storm came from the south-west and the sky turned an eerie black with mammatus clouds. Seeing those, I knew something was brewing, so I kept an eye on the radar.  It wasn't difficult to see that our area was in for a doozy of a storm. When I looked out the front door one last time I saw the sickly green and red colors in the sky. I hollered to Jamie to put his shoes on and grab the leash and Mikey. My creative husband was out in that storm shooting lightning pictures, so Jamie and I sat in his room and we prayed that nothing would come of what I saw. Twenty minutes later a tornado drop out of those clouds but in the next town over destroying several homes; thankfully there was no one killed. Our two small towns were in the path of that storm; it was unavoidable.

A Refuge from the Storm

We all experience dark storms in our lives. We face storms in our health, our marriage, our families, our jobs, our finances, and even in our faith. While many of these storms are unavoidable, some happen because of our own devices. Whichever kind of storm we are in, we can know there is a Refuge we can seek and be sheltered from that storm.

No matter how dark the storm is, there is One we can run to and find refuge in.

Throughout the Bible, there are symbols of what and who God is for Christians. A Refuge from the Storm is one of the most comforting reminders we have of Him. When we run to the Lord at anytime, we can rest a sure He will be our refuge. He will keep us safe when the wind and waves are beating round about us. The Lord is a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). He cannot fail us.

a strength for the poor,
a strength to the needy in his distress

Some of us may be dealing with hatred and persecution as a storm. Yes, the evil that spews from another’s mouth hurts. The “cute” children’s saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me", is the biggest lie we can teach our children. Words hurt. They hurt worse than having a broken bone and for many the hurt from words never heal. You know, Jesus and His disciples dealt with hatred and persecution as well. Jesus knows how you feel; He has been in the very shoes you are standing in at the moment. He is the perfect Refuge from the Storm.

a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat,
when the blast of the terrible ones
is as a storm against the wall

If it were not for the storms of life, we would never fully realize the value of the Lord’s presence and of His love and power. Storms are scary and hard to face, but with the help of our Refuge from the Storm, we can face anything.

I’ve found a refuge now from every sorrow,
Joy everlasting and sweet;
I see this world, with all its sinful follies,
Conquered at my feet.

Oh, blessed thought, my sins are gone!
I lean on Jesus’ breast,
And while the storm without is madly raging,
I have perfect rest.

I've Found a Refuge - Daniel O.Teasley

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