| Surviving The Perfect Storm |
“Surviving The Perfect Storm”
Psalm 107:23-31
October 28, 2007
(Show a clip from the Perfect Storm)
Growing up on a farm... being able to experience the seasons from the
vantage point of a horizon that looked out over several miles... listening
to the weather aphorisms of grandparents, parents, and other area
farmers... one can learn to discern the signs of an oncoming storm...
Occasionally, even guessing right as to its outcome. The intensity of the
storm can, at times, be predicted from various indicators such as the
turning of leaves from green to silver... the quickness with which clouds
roll in or their size or their foreboding darkness.
Ever notice a sudden change in temperature or a fragrance of freshness
in the air? It can mean a rainstorm is on the way. At times, the onslaught
to the senses is as obvious as Elihu seems to think God’s motives
toward Job are: “God’s thunder announces the coming storm; even the
cattle make known its approach.” Of course, God said Elihu was all wet
not being able to understand the signs at all. You can read all about it in
the Old Testament book aptly titled “Job.”
Meteorologists have taken the forecasting of storms to an entirely
different level by tracking low and high fronts, wind direction and speed,
relative humidity, and looking at the world around to be aware of the
minutiae of details that could affect the creation of storms such as a
volcanic eruption in Fiji, a forest fire in Brazil, or the visitation of an El
Nino or La Nina. At times the professional forecasters are as close to
the truth as Elihu… which means not close at all.
Everything seems to effect the development of a storm. Missing one
sign can cause a misjudgment and a storm can occur as if “out of the
blue”. So much effects the development of a storm that one begins to
feel Dr. Seuss was right on track with his story “If a Bug Went Achoo.”
The premise being that a sneeze from a bug can set in motion a turn of
events that will change the world!
Indeed, there are often events in life that set in motion responses which
eventually transform our lives: A wrong or a right word... A glance or no
look at all... An inflation of self importance rather than an awareness of
others... A setting aside of a relationship with God as the gods of the
world are chased after... You can possibly see how the conditions begin
to develop that can eventually turn into the perfect storm. Meaning of
course, a life which is out of control... a life which is being swept away by
destructive words and actions in the developing tempest.
The psalmist speaks of those who were caught up in the tempest of life.
He speaks of some who “wandered in desert wastelands,” some who
“sat in darkness and deepest gloom,” some who “became fools” or who
“went out to sea in ships.” Events developed to cause them to be caught
up in distress as they turned away from God. Lost and hungry and in
darkness and imprisoned and drowning in life as they turned away from
God...
The signs were all there to warn them but they got caught in the storm
anyway and as “they mounted up to the heavens and went down to the
depths; in their peril their courage melted away.”
Have you ever felt like you were caught up in a tempest of epic
proportions... felt like you were in the midst of a perfect storm which in
truth means lost in an imperfect life? Has your courage melted away?
If so, there is good news here for you today. In the midst of the tempest
cry out to the Lord and you will be saved from your distress. Listen again
to the writer of Psalm 107:
“Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where
they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed
away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered
them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where
they could settle.”
“Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in
iron chains... Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved
them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the
deepest gloom and broke away their chains.”
“Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction
because of their iniquities. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the
grave.”
“Others went out on the sea in ships... They mounted up to the heavens
and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out
of their distress... He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea
were hushed.”
In the midst of their distress they called out to the Lord and God
answered them. In the midst of the low points, the lonely points, the
hungry points, even the pointless points... when you call out to God, God
listens and responds. As Paul says in Romans 10:13 "Everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Jim Cymbala, author of an amazing book called “Fresh Wind, Fresh
Fire,” writes: “No one is beyond God’s grace. No situation, anywhere on
earth is too hard for God. The apostle Paul, having benefited from that
grace in his own life, preached and wrote about it ever after. He outlines
in Romans 10:13-15 a chain of events that describes New Testament
salvation: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how
can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can
they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they
preach unless they are sent?”
Cymbala goes on: “Churches often refer to this passage in connection
with overseas missionary work. ‘We need to give a good offering today
in order to send out preachers,’ they say - which is true. But that is just
the beginning of Paul’s sequence.
Sending leads to preaching.
Preaching leads to hearing.
Hearing leads to believing.
Believing leads to calling on the name of the Lord.
Notice that believing is not the climax. Even the great Protestant
Reformers who taught us the principle of sola fide (faith alone) also
preached that intellectual assent alone does not bring salvation. There is
one step for demonstrating a real and living faith, and that is calling out
to God with all of one’s heart and soul.” The psalmist sings of those who
cried out to the Lord and were saved, Paul writes that everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Surviving the perfect storm we call “life” is not a matter of making all the
right choices to begin with... although we need to strive to make the right
choices. Surviving the perfect storm is not a matter of being capable or
reading the signs or any other technique to avoid it…. Although we need
to be aware of what is transpiring around us. Surviving the perfect
storm... living, enjoying, surviving life can only be accomplished when we
call out to God with all of our heart and soul. The good news is that God
listens and will still the storm to a whisper. AMEN.
Psalm 107:23-31
October 28, 2007
(Show a clip from the Perfect Storm)
Growing up on a farm... being able to experience the seasons from the
vantage point of a horizon that looked out over several miles... listening
to the weather aphorisms of grandparents, parents, and other area
farmers... one can learn to discern the signs of an oncoming storm...
Occasionally, even guessing right as to its outcome. The intensity of the
storm can, at times, be predicted from various indicators such as the
turning of leaves from green to silver... the quickness with which clouds
roll in or their size or their foreboding darkness.
Ever notice a sudden change in temperature or a fragrance of freshness
in the air? It can mean a rainstorm is on the way. At times, the onslaught
to the senses is as obvious as Elihu seems to think God’s motives
toward Job are: “God’s thunder announces the coming storm; even the
cattle make known its approach.” Of course, God said Elihu was all wet
not being able to understand the signs at all. You can read all about it in
the Old Testament book aptly titled “Job.”
Meteorologists have taken the forecasting of storms to an entirely
different level by tracking low and high fronts, wind direction and speed,
relative humidity, and looking at the world around to be aware of the
minutiae of details that could affect the creation of storms such as a
volcanic eruption in Fiji, a forest fire in Brazil, or the visitation of an El
Nino or La Nina. At times the professional forecasters are as close to
the truth as Elihu… which means not close at all.
Everything seems to effect the development of a storm. Missing one
sign can cause a misjudgment and a storm can occur as if “out of the
blue”. So much effects the development of a storm that one begins to
feel Dr. Seuss was right on track with his story “If a Bug Went Achoo.”
The premise being that a sneeze from a bug can set in motion a turn of
events that will change the world!
Indeed, there are often events in life that set in motion responses which
eventually transform our lives: A wrong or a right word... A glance or no
look at all... An inflation of self importance rather than an awareness of
others... A setting aside of a relationship with God as the gods of the
world are chased after... You can possibly see how the conditions begin
to develop that can eventually turn into the perfect storm. Meaning of
course, a life which is out of control... a life which is being swept away by
destructive words and actions in the developing tempest.
The psalmist speaks of those who were caught up in the tempest of life.
He speaks of some who “wandered in desert wastelands,” some who
“sat in darkness and deepest gloom,” some who “became fools” or who
“went out to sea in ships.” Events developed to cause them to be caught
up in distress as they turned away from God. Lost and hungry and in
darkness and imprisoned and drowning in life as they turned away from
God...
The signs were all there to warn them but they got caught in the storm
anyway and as “they mounted up to the heavens and went down to the
depths; in their peril their courage melted away.”
Have you ever felt like you were caught up in a tempest of epic
proportions... felt like you were in the midst of a perfect storm which in
truth means lost in an imperfect life? Has your courage melted away?
If so, there is good news here for you today. In the midst of the tempest
cry out to the Lord and you will be saved from your distress. Listen again
to the writer of Psalm 107:
“Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where
they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed
away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered
them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where
they could settle.”
“Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in
iron chains... Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved
them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the
deepest gloom and broke away their chains.”
“Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction
because of their iniquities. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the
grave.”
“Others went out on the sea in ships... They mounted up to the heavens
and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out
of their distress... He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea
were hushed.”
In the midst of their distress they called out to the Lord and God
answered them. In the midst of the low points, the lonely points, the
hungry points, even the pointless points... when you call out to God, God
listens and responds. As Paul says in Romans 10:13 "Everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Jim Cymbala, author of an amazing book called “Fresh Wind, Fresh
Fire,” writes: “No one is beyond God’s grace. No situation, anywhere on
earth is too hard for God. The apostle Paul, having benefited from that
grace in his own life, preached and wrote about it ever after. He outlines
in Romans 10:13-15 a chain of events that describes New Testament
salvation: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how
can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can
they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they
preach unless they are sent?”
Cymbala goes on: “Churches often refer to this passage in connection
with overseas missionary work. ‘We need to give a good offering today
in order to send out preachers,’ they say - which is true. But that is just
the beginning of Paul’s sequence.
Sending leads to preaching.
Preaching leads to hearing.
Hearing leads to believing.
Believing leads to calling on the name of the Lord.
Notice that believing is not the climax. Even the great Protestant
Reformers who taught us the principle of sola fide (faith alone) also
preached that intellectual assent alone does not bring salvation. There is
one step for demonstrating a real and living faith, and that is calling out
to God with all of one’s heart and soul.” The psalmist sings of those who
cried out to the Lord and were saved, Paul writes that everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Surviving the perfect storm we call “life” is not a matter of making all the
right choices to begin with... although we need to strive to make the right
choices. Surviving the perfect storm is not a matter of being capable or
reading the signs or any other technique to avoid it…. Although we need
to be aware of what is transpiring around us. Surviving the perfect
storm... living, enjoying, surviving life can only be accomplished when we
call out to God with all of our heart and soul. The good news is that God
listens and will still the storm to a whisper. AMEN.
DeWitt United Methodist Church
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