His Hand in the Storm

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. – (Psalm 18:16, NIV)

He reached down from above and grabbed me. He pulled me from the deep water. – (Psalm 18:16, ERV)

He then reached down from heaven, all the way from the sky to the sea. He reached down into my darkness to rescue me! He took me out of my calamity and chaos and drew me to Himself, taking me from the depths of my despair! – (Psalm 18:16, TPT)

I love the imagery found in this particular verse; it is so powerful! Being an incredibly visual creature, I can picture a giant, strong, yet gentle hand, reaching down from heaven, to pull me out of the raging sea in the midst of a fierce storm. Though my current status is not tumultuous nor terribly storm-like, I know for many, it is. I have been in several raging storms throughout my life thus far, and each time, God has been faithful to be present and bring His peace, drawing me unto Himself to calm the storm within me. My circumstances seldom changed right away, but the depth of despair, desperation and isolation, did. As God takes our hand, He leads us in His loving kindness to places of peace. Sometimes, He has to guide us from deep waters to a safe harbor, yet other times He simply speaks to the storm within us, and says, “Be still.” Our current season feels long, as one day runs into the next, and into the next. Staying in one place for a long period of time can create a sort of storm within us. The greatest combatant to getting stuck in the deep end is to remember what keeps us afloat. Gratitude, faith, and hope are terrific navigation tools when storms come our way. May we look to the Lord to take our hand and pull us from the places that do not keep our head and heart above water, and trust in Him to be our help and hope as we navigate each new day that we are blessed with on this journey.

In troubled waters,

The deep raging seas;

The Lord reaches down,

His love rescues me.

His strong, gentle hand,

Extends out to mine;

A powerful peace,

No words can define.

Though storms keep raging,

Knowing He is near;

Quiets storms within,

Removing the fear.

No matter how great,

The storm will not last;

But for a season,

Then this too, shall pass.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gentle, yet powerful love that You have for all. Thank You that as we call on You from the midst of raging storms, You reach out Your strong hand to pull us out to a place of peace. Thank You that You still the storm within us, even if the circumstances around us continue. Thank You that all things right now are temporary, and will come to a close. Forgive us for thinking that the hardest seasons will never end, or that we are in them on our own. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would be ever aware of Your presence and Your peace; for You never leave us nor forsake us. Show us how to love those around us in ways that offer peace, love and hope, reminding them that better days will come again. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust Your strong hands to keep us safe through the storms, and keep hope in knowing that what is yet to come is far better than what is right now. Amen.

 

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. – Psalm 46:1

Remembering His Faithfulness

I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all Your works and consider what your hands have done. – (Psalm 143:5)

David faced some seriously discouraging circumstances. More than once, he had to flee for his very life, despite knowing that God had called him to be king. Despite the dismay at the detours, David chose to direct his heart and mind to the displays of faithfulness that the Lord had demonstrated for the many generations that had gone before him. He knew that God was faithful, and that His word was true. Rather than fixing his eyes on the hardships that he could see, David chose to meditate on all that God had done before, trusting that He would be faithful to continue to keep His promises as He had done so faithfully, for the many generations that had gone before him.

We are called to do the very same thing in the face of adversity. It is our choice to either focus on the problem, or on He who is faithful to hear our every prayer, and be present beside us, every step of the way. When we slow down and remember all the ways in which He has been faithful to us already, it is easier to meditate on the truth of His word, and what He has promised He will do. God is good, and His love endures forever. We need not allow our hearts to be overcome with fret or fear, but rather we ought to meditate on His works and the wonder of all that He has done. May we keep our hearts and minds fixed on Christ and the truth of who He is, so that we always remember what He has done, and where we are ultimately headed.

Remember the times,

that God has come through;

provided answers,

shown us what to do.

When there was a need,

our God did provide;

unexpectedly,

a whisper replied.

The Lord’s gentle hand,

as someone came near;

His comfort granted,

to our silent tears.

A ray of sunlight,

after raging rain;

hope we can cling to,

He makes our path plain.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are and have always been faithful. Thank You that You remain the same: yesterday, today and forever. Thank You that we can look to the past to remember Your faithfulness throughout the ages, when we are discouraged about today. Thank You that when we look to all that You have done, You restore our hope for both today and forever, as You are unchanging and abounding in love. Forgive us for forgetting to stop and meditate on all of Your works, as when we consider all that You have done, we cannot help but be hopeful. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would slow down and take time to consider all that You have done for us, even in the midst of our greatest trials, as You never leave us nor forsake us. Lead us to love others in such a way, that we might be an extension of Your hands and heart to those who need Your tangible touch. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we remember all that You have done, and go forth in confidence, knowing that Your faithfulness will last forever. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. – Psalm 145:8