Tuesday, March 13, 2018

A Perfect Storm

"If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:17



In October 1991, the “perfect storm” raged along the Atlantic coast from Canada to Puerto Rico. Damage from the storm totaled more than $200 million and killed thirteen people. That historic event prompted a Hollywood movie called "The Perfect Storm" which told about the tragic end of the vessel Andrea Gail and its crew.

If you saw the movie you have a much clearer image of how the "perfect" combination of a deep low pressure system, a torrential rain storm, and hurricane force wind that churned up killer waves were too much for a small fishing vessel to overcome. The experienced mariners could have dealt with any single one of those elements but the combination of the three overpowered their vessel. All were lost at sea.

One storm in life can make you anxious. The loss of a job. A troubling health diagnosis from your doctor. Your spouse asking for a divorce. Learning your teen is doing drugs. Losing a parent.

As heart-breaking and devastating any one of those experiences storms come in waves. You lose your job and get the bad diagnosis. Your mother dies and your teen gets arrested for shop-lifting. You total your car and your insurance had lapsed.

Your ship is taking on water and you don't see any way to keep it afloat amid the pounding waves.

And the "peace of God" will keep you calm in those storms?

Yes. Yes it will!

The peace of God IS God! He is near, remember?

He created the storms and His Son, Jesus, calmed the storms. With just a word from Jesus the storm was calmed! Remember that word? Peace was the word and peace is what happened!

He is the Perfect calm for the "perfect storm" when it comes.

Storms may be out of your control but they are never out of His control. So you need to be under His control, too.

Are you?