Peace in the Storm

Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, He came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." (Mt. 14:24-27).

As I was getting ready to post, I got a call from my Mom to say that Dad had just been taken to the hospital again. He's been having a hard time breathing for the past few days, and the doctor decided he needed to be where he could have round-the-clock care from medical professionals.

Just last night, I received the following story from a friend of mine, and given the current circumstances - both in my own life and in the world as a whole - this seemed very appropos. I share it with all of you as a reminder that even in the worst of storms, Jesus is with us, and that with Him, we can be at peace no matter how turbulent the world around us becomes.

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No, sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand everything; we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the midst of storms.

Prayer Request: For my Dad as he faces this latest storm in his life and for all of those going through life's storms.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for being near to us in good times, but especially when the winds of life's storms blow against us. Help us to remember Your promise that You are with us always, holding our hands and holding us up with Your love and power. We make this prayer through Him who is our sure hope in the storm, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.