Lessons From Storms

By John Clardy

Here in Louisiana and Texas, we have recently witnessed the effects of two powerful hurricanes. Hurricane Gustav slammed into Louisiana in the early hours of Labor Day as a Cat 3 hurricane.  Here in Baton Rouge, LA we have seen some great devastation from hurricane winds and water.  Trees are down everywhere and electricity for many is presently a luxury. Galveston, TX has been devastated by the flood waters of Hurricane Ike.  Houston and several other Texas communities have suffered flooding and property damage and almost 2 million people are without electricity. To all that were affected in any way by Hurricane Gustav or Hurricane Ike, I hope and pray you and your family are OK. For all those that were not in Gustav’s or Ike’s path, thank you for praying for those of us that were.

I want to share some observations about these storms and other storms in our lives that seem to rock our world.  Someone once said that those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it.  Those of us that don’t learn from our failures are bound to repeat them.  As Christians, we must understand that the storms that God allows in our lives are meant to develop something in us and if we don’t learn from them, God will send us back through them until we do.

Here are 3 things I think we can learn from storms.

1.                  THE NATURE OF POSSESSIONS

1 Timothy 6:8    And having food and raiment let us be therewith content for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Matthew 6:20   But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Material possessions are temporary, they can be lost!  We need to invest in things that are eternal and cannot be taken away!

2.                  THE NATURE OF PEOPLE

Matthew 7:17-18

(17)  A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.

(18)  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. 

Pressure and stress from storms reveal the true nature of people. What may be unnoticed or apparent in normal circumstances are clearly defined in periods of difficulty.  Those that are caring and compassionate show it through their cheerfulness and servitude.  Those that are callous and criminal show their true colors as well.  In the storm more than anywhere else good and evil stand as stark contrasts without blending or blurring.

3.                  THE NATURE OF GOD

Romans 8:37-39

(37)  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

(38)  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

(39)  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God is with us and He is for us!  No storm shall be able to separate us from the Love of God! The Goodness of God is still the same!  His grace brought us to it His grace will bring us through it! 

“Through many dangers toils and snares, I have already come. It was grace that brought me safe thus far. And grace will lead me home!”