Settled because, Even When the Storms Roll, God is Our Refuge and Strength!

Last week Hurricane Helene made its way up the Gulf of Mexico. We had warnings about this storm. But, every time there is a storm we hear warnings. I told Kathy, “The worse the weather forecasts predict the storm will be, the more people watch the show. The more people watch the show, the more advertisements they sell. The more advertisements they sell, the more money they make. They always make it sound bad.” I heard warnings, but I was not convinced.

We heard, “The storm-surge will be 15-20 feet in some places.” “It’s a massive storm.” It sounded like warnings I have heard before. We have been through a number of storms in Gainesville, and the reality did not match the warnings. And after all, I’ve lived Alaska for over 30 years! We have numerous windstorms every winter with winds of 60, or 70, or 80, or 100 miles an hour, or more! These storms last for days, not hours. Only, Alaska’s storms don’t have names. People just say, “The wind is blowing in Palmer.” Last week we were told to watch out for Hurricane Helene. But I was . . . skeptical.

On Thursday, after an appointment to plan a funeral, I then tried to visit a seriously ill person in the hospital. We had expected the rain to start around 1:00 p.m. However, at 4:00 p.m. the weather was still relatively nice. When I arrived at the hospital a security guard asked me if I came to visit. I told her I was. She said, “We’re not allowing visitors because of the storm.” I looked around. The sun was out. There was a slight breeze. The temperature was pleasantly warm. Frustrated, I shot back, “It doesn’t look too bad right now.” But she replied, “It’s coming!” I left the hospital without visiting this lady who did pass away later that weekend. (Thankfully, I did see her on Sunday.) Again, I was skeptical.

Then reality hit. Sometimes a person just stands back in awe and watches the power of nature, as many in America’s southeast did last week. Even though the eye of the storm was over 100 miles away from Gainesville in the Gulf of Mexico, the winds were stronger than I have experienced here. I heard one person say they heard a report of 80 miles an hour winds at the airport. Another person told me their phone reported gusts at 80-85 mph. This was different than my previous experience.

Of course, our electricity went out Thursday evening, and did not return till late Friday afternoon. But we were the lucky ones. I know some who still did not have power 5 and 6 days later. On Friday I did something I’ve never done before as pastor; I conducted a funeral with no electricity! However, we did have light through the windows. We had a musician on the piano, and a pastor with the Bible. The air conditioning did not work, but we opened doors on both ends of the church and a nice breeze blew through. And we still had power issues on Sunday.

There were trees down everywhere. A large oak tree split and damaged the roof of a home in our neighborhood. Another tree blocked the road in front of the church before the funeral, while damaging a nice truck. We saw power poles down, power lines down, and trees leaning on power lines. Crews were out for days, and they continue to work.

Yet, even though we had a rougher experience in Gainesville than from some past storms, it was nothing like the coastal areas, which were devastated. I looked again and again at one of the satellite photos which showed the eye of Helene near Tallahassee, but clouds from the storm in New England and up to Chicago. The rains in North Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia break one’s heart. The pictures from Ashville and Chimney Rock, NC seem unbelievable. Over 150 people have now lost their lives. This was the real thing!

What does a child of God do when faced by the storms of nature, and the storms of life. The words of Psalm 46 came to mind. “1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:1-3)

The forces of nature are surely stronger than human strength. When a hurricane or tornado strikes, when an earthquake or tsunami hit, people see that overwhelming power from God’s creation. But, our Lord is stronger than His creation. So, when storms hit, and mountains crumble, and waters roar and foam, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” When we are in trouble, God is our ever-present help. Similarly, when my weakness and sin are stronger than we are, God is our help and salvation, in Jesus! When we face the trials of life, AND when we know our Lord helps us, we can do what Psalm 46:10 says. "Be still, and know that I am God.”

Last week the forces of our Lord’s creation reminded us again, we are not in control. As my wife says, “You are not God!” Yet, when the storms roll in our lives, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”