God to the Rescue!

In Psalm 34:17, David writes, “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.” In Matthew 8 and Mark 4, we read the story of how Jesus calmed the storm that the disciples were sure was about to take their lives.

The Bible is full of stories when God comes to the rescue. At times like this, it is good to remember that. We should take note; however, coming to the rescue, by definition, tells us that we will not always avoid disaster. Many people wonder why God did not stop the storm, like Covid-19, from forming in the first place. I cannot pretend to know the mind of God. He reminds us in Isaiah, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine’” (Isaiah 55:8). Trying to understand how God works is beyond human capability. Perhaps He did it that way so we would have to have faith in Him, trust His purpose, and plan whatever it may be.

We are left with a choice. We can choose to the glass as half-empty. “Why is this happening to me, Lord?” “Why did you not stop the storm from forming to begin with?” Or, we can look at the glass as half-full. “Whatever lies ahead for me and my family, Lord, I know You are with me. You are in my boat, ready, willing, and able, to calm the waters the threaten me at any moment. You always have, and You always will.”

I do not know how long this present crisis will last. It could be a while. The Israelites were in bondage in Egypt for 400 years. This quarantine will not last 400 years, although it may feel that way. It was just extended to April 30. As hard as that may be, try to remind yourself every day that, “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.”

Storms are not new. We have faced them since we were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. As we soldier on through this crisis, remember Moses’ words of encouragement in Deuteronomy 31:6 to, “…be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic…For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” God will calm this storm too, and when it is finally in our rear view mirror, we may be surprised about what we have learned about ourselves and others, how we have grown, and what is truly important to us. Perhaps that’s something we needed to know. His way are higher than our ways.  

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