Dear friends, hurricanes have a way of getting our attention. Helene certainly got ours, particularly that of the folks who live far enough inland to presume safety during tropical storms.
For coastal dwellers these are dreaded seasonal events. My mother’s family has its roots in the Outer Banks of North Carolina where hurricanes are an ever-present fact of life. Storms often claim back large chunks of beach, along with homes that dare to wage a bet with Mother Nature for the beautiful views and ocean breeze.
There’s a saying among the native population there: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” It’s not a joke; it’s a grim fact when it comes to tropical storms.
The impact of Helene was much more significant than forecasted. The entire Southeast and the highlands north of them have devastating damage. Much of what was spared by the wind was lost in the floodwaters. The danger of failed dams, collapsing buildings, and damaged bridges continues to hang over a vast number of communities. It will take billions of dollars and several years to rebuild what has been ravaged.
I pray that God would comfort those who lost loved ones and property to the storm and thank Him for sparing others of the same experience.
The trauma of the event must have been unbearable. No matter how well prepared you think you might be, you will find yourself at wit’s end when confronted with the reality of what is happening. It’s as if your own mind is being blown around in chaos. There is no way this kind of madness can be rationally explained or understood without personal experience.
Storms are certainly scary. Can you imagine being in the midst of a huge one while on a small ship many miles from a shore? Matthew 14:22-32 tells us a story about one that caught the disciples by surprise.
They were at sea, at night, in a storm. I can tell you from experience, it is absolutely terrifying. Having served in the Navy aboard three different destroyers, affectionately called “tin cans” by the sailors who ride them, I can confirm that there is no fear compared to that which results from a storm at sea, unless it’s a storm at sea in the pitch black of night.
Everyone’s attention is totally absorbed by the immediate circumstances with no forward progress being made. The sole focus is the very survival of lives aboard a ship being helplessly tossed around in the darkness. As conditions worsen, desperation sets in taking hold of your mind and heart.
Vain imagination starts driving emotions until you are downright sick from the resulting anxiety. You are utterly helpless, and unashamedly afraid. Grown men cry out in fear and those who know the Lord pray loudly for deliverance.
In an earlier passage, Luke 8:22-26, Jesus was with the disciples, having instructed them to go to the other side of the lake. He was asleep when a storm began to rage, swamping the boat. Awakened by the terrified disciples, the Lord rebuked the wind and the sea; at once all became calm. The disciples joyfully marveled at his divine power over nature itself.
Isn’t it wonderful when our prayers are answered immediately? However, that is not often the case. Faith usually means exercising a great deal of patience as we wait for the Lord’s perfect plan to unfold in ways we could never have anticipated.
Notice that in Matthew’s story the disciples were doing the Lord’s bidding. They weren’t just fishing. The passage says that Jesus made them get into the boat. He was sending them on a mission, but this time He didn’t join them. Again, they found themselves being buffeted in a terrible storm and now without Jesus to rebuke the wind and waves. They were surely doomed, so it seemed.
At the darkest hour when all hope was lost, Jesus came to them walking upon the water. They didn’t recognize Him, even thinking that He might be a ghost. It’s little wonder that they were intensely terrified. Hallucinations are not uncommon under great stress. The specter of dealing with the realm of the supernatural in the midst of this already frightening nightmare put them over the top.
The disciples were beyond “stressed.” They were now completely “freaked out.” Anyone would cry out in fear! I would have. Thankfully, Jesus does come to us in the middle of the most fearful circumstances, usually at the darkest hour, to speak encouragement and comfort just when we need it the most.
Maybe your life is in a storm right now. You might feel alone and desperate. Your little boat is buffeted, the wind is against you, and the darkness is closing around you. Your circumstances are worsening by the hour. Yet, the Lord has not deserted you
Look for Him coming to comfort you with the assurance that He is always there with you (Matthew 22:28), and there is no need to fear. Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), and He loves us with a perfect love.
There’s another lesson in this story. Notice that Jesus calls the disciples out of their fear into faith that overcomes every circumstance. He says, “Take courage, it is I.” He invites Peter to get out of the security (natural limitations) of the boat and walk on the water to Him.
Jesus wants His disciples to exercise the supernatural power that is given to those who believe. He wants us to rise above the circumstances that expose our fears and fuel our anxieties. In short, He wants us to be overcomers, rather than helpless and hopeless victims.
As long as Peter fixed his eyes on Jesus, he was able to do the impossible. But as soon as he refocused his attention to the dire natural circumstances, he was overwhelmed and began to sink. Instinctively, Peter cried out the shortest and most effective prayer possible, “Lord, save me!”
I have often prayed that prayer myself. Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught Peter. Aren’t you glad that the Lord sees you trying to walk supernaturally? He encourages us to get out of our little boat and come to Him. He wants us to conquer our fear with the faith He has given us. He admonishes us to be overcomers of the storm, not merely survivors.
Yet, even when we are overwhelmed with our fear and begin to sink, in His mercy He is there to reach out and catch us as soon as we cry out to Him.
Today, in any fearful circumstances you may you facing, be comforted by the power of His presence and through the faith He provides. He is faithful.
God bless you.
LeRoy
[LeRoy Curtis is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Asbury Theological Seminary. He served four years as a U.S. Naval Officer after which he became a pastor, Bible professor, educator, author, and missionary living in E. Africa for eight years where he and his wife developed a curriculum of biblical studies for untrained pastors in rural Kenya. His passion for training young church leaders takes him to various parts of the U.S., Latin America, and Africa. He and Judy are currently residing in Carrollton, Georgia.]
