Life's storms.

“But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them.  See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance.  Our God, will you not judge them?  For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:10-12

I’ve been going through ‘old’ photos that I took while living and later visiting Haiti and am going to send them to Kim who is working with an intern from Vanderbilt for saving them by category for Trinity/HOPE.  This photo taken near Les Cayes last year following a hurricane caused me to think about the despair in the lives of people living in and around Houston, TX recently after hurricane Harvey blew through.  There are many hurricanes that impact our lives and in weak moments we may doubt that God is near us…or is listening to our call.  They have many different names; cancer, divorce, unemployed, ALS, gambling, AA, hunger…and the storms of this world rear up their ugliness and pound away as we call upon our Triune God to hear us.  He is with us and in control and His Son Jesus has already defeated the most sinful force in this world on the Cross at Calvary.  Give thanks for His Victory and continue to ask for His protection and guidance.  I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘When in the Hour of Utmost Need’ that were written by Paul Eber in 1560.

“When in the hour of utmost need we know not where to look for aid; when days and nights of anxious thought nor help nor counsel yet have brought, then this our comfort is alone, that we may meet before Thy throne and cry, O faithful God, to Thee for rescue from our misery.  To Thee may raise our hearts and eyes, repenting sore with bitter sighs, and seek Thy pardon for our sin and respite from our griefs within.  For Thou hast promised graciously to hear all those who cry to Thee through Him whose name alone is great, our Savior and our Advocate.  And thus we come, O God, today and all our woes before Thee lay; for sorely tried, cast down, we stand, perplexed by fears on every hand.  Ah! hide not for our sins Thy face, absolve us through Thy boundless grace, be with us in our anguish still, free us at last from every ill, that so with all our hearts we may to Thee our glad thanksgiving pay, then walk obedient to Thy Word and now and ever praise Thee, Lord.”

Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

May God be with you…Jay