Dearly beloved in Christ,
I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In life, circumstances overwhelm us and we are rendered powerless to act upon them. To navigate through raging storms of life is indeed very difficult. It is like an eruption of a volcano which no man can stand against. Every object in its ambit is destroyed. This happens on land. A similar occurrence in the ocean can result in a tsunami. Powerful and catastrophic occurrences on the earth demonstrate the power of the Lord who alone can quell it and bring it under control. He is mightier than all His creation. These are observable occurrences in nature.
Such cataclysmic occurrences in the lives of people put their lives out of gear, leaving them in utter chaos. Psalm 46:6 says, “The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.” In 1963, there was the anti-Hindi agitation in Tamilnadu. In it many students lost their lives. When the people of the states of Andhra and Telungana staged agitations in those regions for bifurcation, many lost their lives. Such raging of natural forces and nations bring about untold sufferings.
STORMS THAT UNSETTLE US
1. At Heart
“I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.” (Psalm 38:8).
Such eruptions do happen internally in the life of individuals causing great harm. They lose their peace and joy of life. In such circumstance they cannot think properly.
A good cardiologist of repute who had performed several operations and helped the patients to live a healthy life was tossed in the storm of life and was engulfed in sorrows. He couldn’t withstand the pressure from within and, as a result, jumped from the terrace and ended his life. A heart surgeon could not stand the storm in his heart. Inner struggles of the heart and mind make peace impossible.
2. In Journey of Life
“But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” (Jonah 1:4).
Jonah was a man of God who made his journey to Tarshish by a ship, instead of going to Nineveh as he was instructed by the Lord. He disobeyed the command of the Lord and went in another direction. By this act of disobedience, he gained the wrath of the Lord that He sent a great storm in the ocean. It tossed the ship that everyone was greatly agitated and feared for their lives. But Jonah was sleeping at the lower deck. The captain of the ship instructed everyone to seek God for it was humanly impossible to escape from it. They woke up Jonah and questioned him. The crew enquired about him and his purpose of the journey. He honestly told them that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord God he served, not obeying His command. He had been commanded to go to Nineveh, but he was on his way to Tarshish. He realized his mistake and accepted the fact that the storm was only because of him. His disobedience resulted in a great disaster to so many people.
Dear Brother/ Sister, your disobedience may be the reason for the disaster in your family. In our travels when the journey is hampered with problems, we recollect Jonah and ask among ourselves the question: “Who is the Jonah?” The captain asked him why he did so and further enquired him as to what they should do for the storm to calm. He had made every effort to manage the situation, but in vain. Then Jonah boldly told them the truth that they should put him into the ocean for the storm to get dissipated. They did that and the storm degenerated.
3. AGAINST GOD
“Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, therefore I will put My hook in your nose and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back By the way which you came.” (Isaiah 37:29).
In the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah of Judah, the king of Assyria, Sennacherib, came against the fortified cities of Judah and laid siege to them. He sent his envoy, Rabshakeh, from Lachish to the King Hezekiah. He sent Eliakim, Shebna and Joah to negotiate. But he reproached and insulted them with demeaning words in the Jewish language: “What confidence is this in which you trust? I say you speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?” He called them as men “who will eat and drink their own waste.” They reported this matter to the Prophet Isaiah. ‘And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’ (Isaiah 37:6,7). “Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, therefore I will put My hook in your nose and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you came.” (Isaiah 37:29). It is written: “Then the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead” (Isaiah 37:36). This is the end of the king of Assyria who spoke and raged against the Lord God.
CONTEXT OF STORMS
1. In the Lives of the Wicked
“Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.” (Psalm 11:6)
Such storms are apportioned to the wicked by the Lord God. If we take the path of the wicked, there would be storms in life. It is said in Psalm 37:32, “The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him.” We do find people earning easy money in wicked ways. A servant of God prayed for a woman who wanted him to pray for her wicked husband. But the man on knowing about this man of God came with a band of wicked people and demanded money from him and threatened that they would chop off his hand if he failed. Immediately that man of God left the place for his own state winding up the ministry there. Thus, wicked people are fierce. The Bible says, “The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives” (Psalm 37:21).
Once the owner of a big textile shop came for prayer in America. I enquired him how all his relatives came to the US to do business there. These persons owned properties worth several crores of rupees in their places in India. They would get in contact with a bank there. They would show them that they had orders from there for several crores of rupees. For supplying these ready-made textile goods, they would get the approval from the bank and through the bank they will supply the goods. Then they would get the supplies rejected as they did not match the quality assured. Then the suppliers would leave for the US saying that they would redress the defects if any. Then they would make the goods as capital and start the business and evade paying any money to the bank. It is wicked to get the loan and not to repay it. In the lives of these persons there would be storms all of a sudden.
2. When Running Away from the Presence of the Lord
“But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” (Jonah 1:3-4).
Jonah had the direction of the Lord God to go to Nineveh, but he had no mind to go there. So, he boarded a ship to go to Tarshish. Going against the will of the Lord lands him in trouble. People nowadays are eager to know about the will of the Lord in their lives. But if it is not in line to their desires and wishes, they forsake what is said and go in their own ways. As a result, storms rage in their lives.
Once a woman came to pray for the marriage of her daughter. She also told that there was an offer from a family. But I had a reply from the Lord which was not acceptable to her as it was contrary to her expectation. As I reported what the Lord revealed, she went saddened. But the marriage was arranged as she desired. A few months later, the boy became sick and when they medically examined him, it was found to be cancer. When we act contrary to the will of the Lord such terrifying storms engulf us.
3. Acts 0f Iniquities
“For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” (Psalm 38:4).
Storms rage in several homes because of the wicked lives of the members of the family. In my street there lived a man who owned a Petrol Bunk. He had a twelve-year old daughter. He had already two wives. Because of the difference of opinion with his third wife, he committed suicide. A storm raged in the family. That small child had to live sorrowfully.
Dearly beloved in Christ, let us pray with the psalmist, “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins” (Psalm 19:13). Let us commit ourselves to the Lord to live without such sins. We would have to face storms if we continue to live in sin knowingly, without repentance. Calamity will strike us.
Once in an annual meeting of an organisation, one member expressed his opinion that there should be singleness of purpose and that they should not act as two groups. But another man stood up and said that his opinion was false and he was not prepared to accept it. Thereafter a terrible thing occurred in the family of the one who said falsehood. His daughter had to be restrained with chains.
4. Life without Jesus Christ
“Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.” (John 6:16-18).
Many have questions about the necessity of Jesus Christ in their lives. What He can do in their lives? I was a member of church choir and had the habit of going to church regularly before I accepted Jesus Christ in my life. I had the habit of making offerings. But I wanted to earn money and so on Sundays instead of going to church I began to spend time in earning money which is perishable. As a result, I started a shop in partnership with another person in the name of Victory Sports Shop in a crowded area. But I began to encounter many problems. I had problems in all areas of life. I lost everything and I experienced emptiness and anguish. I lost my health as well. The storm began to rage in my life. To settle loans, I had to go for new loans and had to tell lies to those who gave maney. But the day I committed my life to Jesus Christ, there came a great change in my life. I felt His presence in my heart and in my home. I experienced what the Bible assures: “For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.” (Deut. 15:6). I realized that borrowing money is against God’s tenet and that the borrower is a slave to the lender. I stopped borrowing money from anyone. The Lord worked through the power of His word and helped me to overcome debt and to settle them. In a school where 108 teachers worked, in the pay slip, there would be red marking against my name. There was a note against my name as to how much loan I had taken. When I submitted to live according to the Word of the Lord, the red line against my name was removed in the very first month of my committing. I really began to earn money and the money kept increasing every month. It was the Lord’s doing. Before I volunteered to resign to enter the ministry, I began to receive my full pay. The presence of the Lord began to manifest in me and in my family. Everything became all right.
HOW TO CALM THE STORM?
1. Acknowledge Your Sin
“And he said to them, ”Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.” (Jonah 1:12).
“So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.” (Jonah 1:15).
Disobedience can land us in trouble. Life would be stormy with no solution for problems; one would get drowned in the tumult and multitude of problems. In the life of Jonah, his disobedience resulted in a stormy ocean. He accepted His guilt openly. When he was dropped into the ocean, the storm dissipated and calmness came. Dearly beloved in Christ, when sin remains with us, there would be sorrows and defeat in life. In the journey of the Israelites in the desert, the sin of Achan resulted in the defeat of the Israelites. He had taken certain accursed things, stolen, deceived, and put them among their own stuff. Then they were doomed to destruction. By the grace of the Lord, he was identified and all those things along with his family had to be removed from their midst. Then only they could have victory.
In the journey of Jonah too, only when he was identified as the offender and thrown into the sea, there was change for the better. They could carry on their voyage. Dearly beloved in Christ, as you realize your sin and confess and give it up, you would have the mercy of the Lord God. He would quell the stormy life. There would be calmness and peace in life.
2. Prayer
“Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.” (Psalm 107:28-29)
The Bible makes it clear that people seek the Lord God only in the midst of troubles. They make all sorts of attempts to get over their problems. But when they are overwhelmed and it is impossible to resolve them by any means, they call upon the name of the Lord for help. In the midst of disaster, they lose all their hopes and turn to the Lord for help. Even then, He hears and delivers them. The Lord God assures us, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). Only when we call upon Him in the midst of troubles, He responds and delivers by His mighty power. But very often we rely upon our own abilities and self-righteousness. We do resort to various efforts mustering all our strength and skills. But then we fail to realize our purpose. We are rendered powerless and impotent. Finally, we realize our inadequacies and inability. But when we approach the Lord Almighty for help, He extends His loving hand and delivers us from all our troubles.
Once in a car accident, the leg of my son got fractured. Then my son cried, “Woe unto me.” Then I told him not to say so, but to cry to Jesus Christ for help. He was taken out of the car and was placed at the road side. As he cried to the Lord, a white car came and stopped near to render us help. He was the owner of a big company. He took all of us in his car to a hospital for treatment immediately. In such dire circumstances, when we look up to the Lord for help, He will extend us help in a wonderful way and there would be relief.
3. The Word of God
“And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.” (Luke 8:24).
Dearly beloved in Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ would heal us through His word. Not only that, He delivers us from destruction. The disciples of Jesus Christ called to Him for help when they were in the midst of a storm in tumultuous sea. When you do not place Him before you, you would have problems. He is a God who lives and His words carry authority. Everything happens as He directs. His words are life and spirit. He is full of mercy. He authoritatively quells any storms in our lives just by uttering a word. He just commanded the waves and there was immediately calmness. The waves subsided. So also in our lives whatever be the tumultuous situation, He would restore peace. Nothing would prosper against us when He speaks a word.
4. Accept Jesus Christ as Your Shepherd
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23:1-2).
Jesus Christ came as a good Shepherd. He called Himself a good Shepherd. When we accept Him as our good Shepherd, He would lead us to good pastures and still waters. We need not be worried about what lies ahead. He knows and leads us in the right path as He led David. We should come forward to follow Him as sheep follow the shepherd. He will take us in paths of righteousness and lead us to a peaceful life.
As the storm is quelled, there would be real peace and joy. In the lives of those who follow Him listening to His voice, there would be no storm but peace and joy. That is the beginning a new life.
May the Lord bless us!
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.