A Shelter In The Storm
THE SOUND
It was 5:00 a.m. and I was just transitioning to a more conscious state of wakefulness when I heard it. It was a sound I had heard many times before throughout my lifetime. It wasn’t a pleasant sound, believe you me. It was a loud, constant, high-pitched sound; one that produces within seconds a rapid heartbeat and an adrenaline rush. It was coming from my cell phone.
I immediately jumped up out of bed and reached for my phone. My eyes read, “Tornado Warning In Your Area, Seek Shelter Immediately.” Having lived in a tornado-prone state for years, I knew the drill. Seek shelter to the lowest area possible. In my home, it is the basement.
THE DRILL
The drill was familiar. Grab my purse, shoes, cell phone and charger and head to the shelter. (So that the reader knows, I didn’t run around looking for these items. I’m very organized, and all these items were within reach.) With supplies in hand, I opened the bedroom door into the hallway where I met my family members. They also heard the warning sound, responded, and were making their way to the shelter of the basement.
As we made our way to the first floor, we escorted our two dogs, Snuffles and Ricky, to the basement with us. They are not allowed down there, so to them this was a special adventure - an adventure that would provide new sights and smells. However, when there is a storm, they are securely placed in a dog crate we have set up. There is a cover on three sides for added protection should a worse-case-scenario happen.
For the most part, these furry companions are calm, but dogs pick up on emotions and body language and loud sounds. So, Snuffles and Ricky knew something was going on that was out of the ordinary.
Our basement is not finished and is rarely visited, except for the occasional storm that requires us to enter its dark, cool, and less-than inviting space. It is comfortable enough and serves its purpose for the few times we go down into it. We set up a sitting area with a rug, couch, chairs, pillows, several soft fuzzy blankets, and a tv. There are other things in our basement, but to have a safe place to wait out a storm makes it a little easier to manage the fear and anxiety.
We all took our seats and turned the tv on to see what the conditions were. A fierce storm was crossing several counties and headed our way. We could hear the siren, wind, and rain beating against the house. I don’t know about you, but whenever there is a storm, I pray. I pray for God’s protection, peace, and comfort as we sit and wait for the storm to pass.
REFLECTIONS
As we sat there, my thoughts reflected on the storms of life that we all go through. For the children of God, the storms of life are teachable moments. They teach us to self-reflect, grow into Christ’s image, and to look to Jesus.
We are promised that Jesus is our shelter. And while we go through the storms of life, He will do one of two things: remove the storm or will help us through it. We must not fear when the storms strike. God is with us in our teachable moments so we can turn our eyes to him. No matter the storm, God provides us the peace, comfort, and hope to ride it out.
AS WE WAIT
As we wait the return of Jesus our trials may escalate. Time is short. Eternal decisions need to be made. The storms and trials of life are hard. Because of sin, life is not easy, but we are assured that God is with us every step of the way.
Much like the tornado warnings we receive when a storm is approaching, we have also been given warning signs pertaining to the second coming of Jesus. Current events we are seeing at a global scale include: fires, floods, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and civil unrest. Scripture tells us these are the signs of His coming. (Matthew 24, Luke 21, 2 Timothy 3)
IN CLOSING
We know who God is. We know how the story ends. Are you prepared for the final storm? Let us each continue to seek God and lean into Him. He will guide us and help us to be strong, firm, and steadfast. He is a shelter in the storm.
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Recommended Reading: Ellen White, “The Great Controversy”