Thursday's Thought

Mark 4:39

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Good morning - it's Thursday!

Yesterday, in northern Mississippi, we experienced rain all day but, as the temperature dropped, that rain became sleet around 8:00 PM. This morning, when I looked outside, there was a blanket of pretty white snow everywhere. The radio DJ constantly warned all evening of the imminent winter storm in many areas.

Storms. Winter Storms. Thunderstorms. Tornadoes. Hurricanes. It seems that every season of the year has its own type of storm. Right now, we are dealing with winter storms, being watchful of snow and slippery, icy conditions. Spring will soon be here, and with that season we will hear of frequent tornadoes. Summer brings the occasional thunderstorm and hurricanes in some areas of our nation. Fall has its share of storms as well. It seems that we have four seasons and four seasonal storms. Bottom line is, we can't escape the storms.

Beside the seasonal storms, we all experience storms in our lives. These can be emotional, physical, financial or spiritual in nature but they can adequately be described as storms. Some upheavals in our lives may be likened to a simple rain shower, but other trials come in the form of an unrelenting tornado, reeking havoc all around us. 

Parents experience issues in the raising of their children, and then as years pass, the grown children experience painful issues as they watch their parents age and pass on. People deal with issues on their jobs; even pastors and congregations deal with stress sometimes. Then, there's the awful storm of grief; one of the hardest storms to face this side of heaven.

God is our only hope in any kind of situation. He is still the Peace Speaker, and He knows His children by name. As one writer described it - God will either calm the storm or calm us. Yet, in the most desperate of stormy days, we can pray and we can sing. I have a few songs that are on my heart today, and I want to share them with you as a token of encouragement for whatever storm you are in.

The late Rev. Murrell Ewing penned these beautiful words (chorus only):

Where did the wind go?

Who stopped the rain?

I only remember whispering His name.

Storms don't decide how long they will stay

When the Master says, 'Enough", 

They just go away

Another favorite, beautifully sung by Janet Paschal.....

It Won't Rain Always
Someone said that in each life some rain is bound to fall
And each one sheds his share of tears
And trouble troubles us all
But the hurt can't hurt forever
And the tears are sure to dry

And it won't rain always
The clouds will soon be gone
The sun that they've been hiding has been there all along

And it won't rain always
God's promises are true
The sun's gonna shine in His own good time
And He will see you through
It is often hard or nearly impossible to sing in the midst of pain, but an earnest prayer and a sweet song unto the Lord will aid the healing process.
May you sing in your storm today, and may the Peace Speaker step on board again for you!

Until tomorrow, Lord willing..............