The storms
I am writing this at a safe distance from any serious risk of flooding, yet few of us can be unaware of the terrible time that so many in our country are going through, with homes flooded, businesses threatened and the fear that there may be worse yet to come. These last few weeks have revealed some important things about ourselves and our world:
• We are quick to blame others for what happens – even when we may be to blame ourselves, or events may just be beyond anyone’s expectation or control.
• We are not in control of the world we live in – something we find frustrating because we would like to be, and we are humbled and reminded that we are not God after all.
• The world is not as it should be – neither as God made it to be (because of our sin), nor as God will make it one day (because of his redemption).
• Some people do remarkably brave and generous things to help others in need – evidence of God’s ‘common grace’ whereby his image in us is not totally marred.
And doesn’t it bring to mind another storm, this time on a lake, so fierce that experienced fishermen feared they would drown, when their companion stood up in the boat and simply rebuked the storm – and everything was still? And then we read these words: ‘They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”’ (Mark 5:35-41).