Hurricane in the House

Hurricane Ian is coming ashore in Florida as I write this post.  I am praying for several people, loved ones in the Ft. Myers area who are already seeing the record-breaking storm surge and hearing the nightmarish screaming winds.  I pray the Lord will bless them and keep them safe today and tomorrow and in the days and weeks to come.  Such a terrible storm.

Domestic abuse feels like a hurricane in our house.  There are warnings ahead of the storm, and tensions rising like atmospheric air pressure.  We hear little critical remarks, little sarcastic comments. He glares, he stares. His eyes are a little red around the edges from something inside of him. All the evidence that something is coming…a monster storm is coming.

Days go by, we can feel the anger simmering like humidity on the horizon.

Then the winds of terror begin to blow seriously.  We consider evacuation, but we just aren’t sure where to go where we will be safe.  And then we realize it may be too late to escape to high ground and we will need to hunker down and ride out the storm. 

His voice yelling.  His words blaming and accusing.  The pushing and shoving.  He throws a fist or something else, and it hits either the wall or our backs.  Floods and floods of fear as the storm intensifies.

Our tears fall like buckets of rain, our pillows are soaked, our muffled cries are drowned out by the fury of the storm.  Who will help us?  Who will save us?  Like the disciples when their boat was filling with water from the great storm on the Sea of Galilee, we want to shake and awake Jesus who seems to be asleep in the back of the boat.  “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!”

And, of course, He is immediately in control of the situation.  He rebukes the winds and the sea. “Peace!  Be still!” is His command to the weather, and suddenly there is a great calm, instead of a great storm. He asks, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”

Jesus is with you today in whatever hurricane you are facing. Your storm has a name, and Jesus knows its name.  He can speak peace and He will be with you as you trust Him.  Even if we can’t see His lovely face, we can trust His beautiful heart.  He will never leave you or forsake you in the winds, the waves, the water, the fire or the flood. He is there.  He is for you.

Peace to you today.