The Lord of the Storm

Have you ever experienced a storm of significant force?   Growing up in Panama, I endured many tropical storms.  The dark clouds magnifying the scary flashes of lightening, and the hard rain pounding fiercely on the tin roof, echoing the terrifying sound of the relentless thunder sent me to bury my head under my pillow more times I can count.  My Mom was deadly afraid of these tropical storms.  At the sight of the first flash, she would go to the inner most room in our house (houses in Panama do not have a basement), and start her panicky prayers, eyes tightly shut with a blanket over her face.  I have to tell you, seeing my Mom so out of sorts did not help ease my own fears.  It actually put me on an edge of anxiety that I can still feel today every time I hear a thunder rolling in the distance.

Storms are not my favorite.  But, they sure are great illustrations, aren't they?

After all the harshness and accusations and recriminations and humiliation Job has received from his "friends," the Lord speaks.  I just love that subtitle:  The Lord Speaks.  And speak He does.

Chapter 38 starts with what I consider a magnificent combination of words:  "Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm." (Job 38: 1).  

First, let's take a look at the beginning of this sentence: the Lord "spoke to Job."  He addressed him directly.  Intently.  Unmediated. He did not use any emissary.  There were no messengers.  God didn't use any angels or special envoys.  He spoke to Job Himself.  

What a marvelous thought! These 5 little words bring me so much joy and hope.  Job has been enduring the worst of circumstances, only to be aggravated by the "counsel of his friends," and God knows what Job needs.  He knows exactly what will pull Job out of the pit: His voice.  His presence.  The Lord gives us what we need exactly at the precise moment of most effectiveness.  And He knows what we need is Him.  So, He gives Himself freely to us.  He gives Himself to us in the person of Jesus, who broke the veil forever and opened the path between humanity and God for eternity.

But, the magnificence of this sentence does not end there.  Look at the next 4 words:  "Out of the storm."  Out of the storm He spoke.  And, boy, does Job know about storms...he had been beaten by the biggest personal storm recorded in history! The storm has literally taken everything from this man.  But then, we have God speaking out of it.  What does that mean?

Does it mean that God caused the storm? Well, of course not.  We know the devil did.  What we see here is how, no matter how much the enemy wants to run us down, crush us and destroy us, the Lord Almighty is the ONLY Lord of all.  His sovereignty reins over everything, even the storms.  He is the Lord of the storm! And He is in it, the same way He is in the quiet of the sunrise.  And He calms it, the way a Mother hushes the cries of her infant.  He is the Lord of the storm!  And the winds and the waves obey Him. (Matthew 8: 26, Mark 4: 39)

My Lord, and My God!

You are the King of who I am!

May the Holy Spirit increase my faith to allow me to understand that You are in control.  That You do care...that You love me enough to speak to me directly...and that Your Power is enough to calm my every storm as well as all the storms in the entire world.  In the Precious name of Jesus, the One who rebukes the winds and the waves, and hushes my fears.  Amen!