| “The Rapid Storms of Life” I fall to my knees in adoration. I am simply overwhelmed by all the wonders there is to behold. My God, simply put is truly and utterly amazing. There really is not enough words to describe his power. On my knees, I look towards the heavens, and behold theres a beautiful blue sky, every now and than marked with a thin whispy cloud. I cry out, “Lord I praise you, for you’ve taken me to a wonderful land. I look to my left, and behold, far off in the distance, a giant oak tree. By this oak tree is a deer without a care in the world drinking from this gorgeous stream. As the sun shines bright and reflects off every current, off every ripple in the water. I truly am amazed. The sounds of the birds singing, the smell of the bright yellow flowers, mixed in with the dead dandelions. Lord even they bring wonders. Though the dandelion itself has fallen, it brings life to more to come. And I watch as their seeds float off all around. Lord, there is none like you. The greatest of all artists, they paint what you’ve created. For you, everything was an original idea, that you so masterfully threw together. Lord, thank you for allowing me such a blessing. A blessing to be alive and to see all of this. Everywhere I look, I have no choice but to see you. And for that, I am forever grateful. I go from my knees, to sitting down relaxed. One knee propped up, the other leg stretched out. I rest my arm upon my knee, and just relaxe. Psalms 23 comes to mind. What a wonderful Psalm, I begin to recite it. “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake…” Lord, right now I gaze in wonder, and I do not want. I literally see the splendid green pastures, my eyes behold the quiet waters. My soul feels so refreshed. And I have faith that your guiding me, and always will, upon the wonderful path of righteousness. And Lord, that you will use me to bring glory to your name. Lord thank you for your mighty word. I feel as if your standing right there, keeping watch. Thank you for your love and your mercy. For the blessings you’ve provided me. I look out and see a dark cloud, for some reason I became fixated on it. I start to feel a cool breeze. More and more clouds are forming in the horizon. “The Lord is my shepherd” I calmly say with a smile. But they just keep coming, there closer, their starting to block the light of the beautiful son. The deer ran off. “Green pastures, quiet water, restores my soul.” A little worried now. Though for some reason I didn’t want to leave. I still felt Gods presence. As I looked behind me, I could still see a blue sky, I could still see his wonderful creation, screaming out his glory. I stand up, and start to walk, no real destination in mind, just enjoying Gods creation. I begin to recite more of that wonderful Psalms, for it always keeps my mind at peace. “Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.” “Lord, at first I did worrie, but Im looking to you now. I may be walking through “the valley of the shadow of death. Though with you by my side, Lord I don’t need to fear any evil. Lord you have your rod, your equipped with your staff. Your mighty power, your love, everything about you good shepherd, it comforts me.” Quickly I turn around as I heard the thunder roar from the distance. I watch as the lightning rips through the sky. The wind is now whistling in my ears. “Lord, whats going on? It shouldn’t have happened this fast.” I turn around to where the last of my blue sky was… and it was no more. Everything was happening at such a frightening pace. The storm was now right upon me, Im now terrified. “God!!! Where is my green pastures. Where’d it go? It was so beautiful, why did you trap me…I have no where to turn.” Just than the lightning slammed into the mighty oak. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The tree just cracked, it came crashing down into the now rushing water. Something that I used to look at as a symbol of Gods strength. I mean it was huge, it towered into the sky, its branches reached out to such a great distance. Its withstood year after year, season upon season. Right before my eyes, it was torn down. I turn to run, but couldn’t move. What was going on. It was pouring, the small stream was now a mighty river. It was flooding the field, destroying the flowers. Everything you used to bring me peace Lord, why have you taken it away from me. Why arent you comforting me!!!!! Why cant I run!!!!!! Im drenched, Im cold, the wind is beating against me. Every roar of thunder, sends me to a dreadful state of mind. Every streak of lightning, sends shivers down my spine!!! Lord, I cant handle this. Lord, I need those green pastures. Please, I beg you, bring them back to me. But no, instead you bind my feet, you force me to sit through this storm!!! Lord I could die out here!!!! Did you see the old oak tree, how the lightning took it down with ease. Don’t you see, if the old oak tree couldn’t stand up to it, how can I!!!!!!” back on my knees “Lord, how can I.” Trembling and in tears, crying, feeling hopeless. Psalms 23 comes back to mind. “You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.” “Lord, I don’t see this table. The Thunder screams out to me, its haunting me. The lightning, is terrifying me. The darkness cries out hopelessness. I cant run, I cant escape. Where is this table. Lord” I scream with a trembling voice “where is this table. I only see the enemies. The goodness, wheres the goodness? Wheres the love? Lord, where are your promises?” I became filled with shame. Instantly I remembered the disciples in the boat. As Jesus was sleeping and the storm kicked up. (Mth.8) “ 23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"” “Lord, I am sorry.” Tears rolling down my cheeks, “Lord, I am so sorry. You are the table, you are the good. That oak tree, all in all is your creation. You are mightier than all that brought me peace earlier. Lord, the only thing I need, is you. Though the sky is black, and the wind and thunder roars, though the lightning tears at the sky. I am in no real danger. I see now why you didn’t let me run. If I had ran, I would not have witnessed your strength to its fullest. I wouldn’t have seen you bring peace, where there only seemed to be hopelessness. I wouldn’t have been humbled, as much as I am now. Lord if I had run, It would have chased me down. If I had run, I wouldn’t be able to look it in the eye, I wouldn’t be able to fend off the fear. But now that you’ve shown me through your words, how mighty you are. I can walk to where the mighty oak fell, I can head through this storm. And I need not worrie. Lord, to you I now look.” I blinked, and in that same instant, the dark clouds rolled away. The birds, they overcame the sound of thunder. The water calmed. The sun was accompanied by a rainbow, it shouted out Gods promises. The deer came back to the river. The mighty oak still laid there. However it made a path to the other side. I can go see more of Gods wonders. My faith strengthened, all in all, it was amazing. I for one, am glad, to have been through the storm. Our God is an awesome God. Just wrote this this morning. |
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