The Deficiency of all Storms

S - Psalm 57:1-3, (NRSV): "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by. I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me, he will put to shame those who trample on me. (Selah) God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness. … I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth."

O - In the press and pain of destroying storms King David identifies realities that even such intense circumstances cannot interfere with. In the middle of destroying storms we can rely on and receive:
1. The Lord's mercy.
2. The refuge of His Presence.
3. The confidence of God's purpose for us according to His steadfast love and faithfulness(NOTE: this confidence comes according to our knowledge of his person not his plan).
The volume of the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness cannot be measured. It is always more than we need and more than we can imagine. This is awesome and true.

A - There are many things that the killer storms do interfere with; comfort being very near the top of the list. Not just physical comfort, but the comfort of emotional and mental ease … based, of course, on our/my preferences and current understanding (you know, the very realities Proverbs 3:5-6 instruct us to NOT lean on). It interferes with our sense of justice (this is not fair), our capacities to refuse worry (because we have a huge jump in the volume of unknowns) and the exercise of our faith (we tend to doubt what we have heard and doubt the conclusions we've come to based of what we "think" the Lord said). Jesus has promised us that storms will come AND storms will go (cf. Luke 6:46-49). The variable is what's left standing WHEN they pass. Doing his words is the key … engaging them to come to him for life, for mercy, hope, faith, confidence and the joy of bringing him glory and making him glad.

P - Sovereign Strong,
You are purposeful in everything you cause and in everything you allow. You have filled the earth with your glory and your mercy … and storms are unable to preclude them. Thank you for making yourself so awesomely available to us and calling us to respond in like kind. So, today, I am available to you by right but also by choice. I welcome your will on earth as they do in heaven; I am relying on your love, admitting the receipt of your mercy (always more than I need and more than I can imagine) and praising you for your brilliance, power and goodness. Lord, today while it's called today, I welcome your promises from afar and engage them with faith … knowing that I will get to act, not just consider. Today the superlatives are mine; they are my assignment, my confidence and your glory. Today, the storm may end and I hope it does. Nevertheless, your love, mercy and faithfulness never end and cannot be thwarted by any storm. Today I give my real self completely to the real Jesus … amazed with amazing grace.
Steve