[x_custom_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″]Have you ever felt as though the storms of life that you are facing just won’t let up? Or maybe like Moses and the children of Israel, you’ve felt like you are chest deep in the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s horse is breathing hot air down the back of your neck. It may seem that way, but it’s not over yet.[/x_custom_headline]
In fact, let’s read a bit of the story of Moses and the people of Israel, and be reminded once again just how mighty a Deliverer our Heavenly Father is.
[x_blockquote cite=”Exodus 14:10, 13-15, 21-22 NASU” type=”left”]“10 As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord…13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 ‘The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.’ 15 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward’… 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. 22 The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”[/x_blockquote]
To us this story in the book of Exodus was a really close call, and the children of Israel barely made it in time. But to God, it wasn’t close at all. Evidently God wasn’t in a big hurry, because He had victory planned for His people all along.
In fact, even though the people were terrified about their chances, the Lord wasn’t shook up about it at all. Because the Lord often comes through just at the last minute, some have gone to calling Him, Jehovah-Nick-of-Time! But victory is victory. And coming out of the worst storm in your life unscathed is exactly what God is planning for you, too.
In the book of Isaiah we find an encouraging passage about the Lord being our refuge from the storm.
[x_blockquote cite=”Isaiah 25:4 KJV” type=”left”]“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.”[/x_blockquote]
The word “poor” in this verse means to be weak, needy and dangling. The implication is that you are doing so poorly that you are hanging by a thread in the middle of a storm. And it could be that this explains exactly what you are feeling like today. But there is even more to factor in from this verse above, because when you add the word “blast” to the equation, which means a strong, violent wind, then you can understand more clearly that the inference is that you are hanging by a thread in a hurricane!
This verse in Isaiah provides for us the insight we need as to God’s stance when we are hanging by a thread in a hurricane in our life. And we find here what God will do when we are slammed against the wall by the storms of life, and it seems there is no hope to be found anywhere else.
He will be your strength when distress is trying to overwhelm you, and He will be your refuge from the storm. Then when the heat of the battle is so bad it seems you can’t take it another minute, the Lord will be the shadow to cool you and keep you safe.
The Lord will not leave you or let you fail! Even though it may appear like the enemy is flourishing, the Lord always sees the end result. In fact, just like He did with the children of Israel, He is saying to you today, that the enemies you are facing today will soon pass away and be no more.
[highlight]The key to not losing your grip during the storm is in getting locked in on the promises of God.[/highlight] If you’ll remember, that is exactly what Abraham did during a time of apparent impossibility in his life (see Romans 4:17-21).
When Abraham saw absolutely no reason to hope, he just kept on hoping. And he could do this because he became fully persuaded of God’s promises.
Maybe since you’ve been hanging by a thread in a hurricane you feel like all hope is gone for you. However, instead of settling in on hopelessness, allow the Lord to strengthen you by getting back into His promises, and then staying there until just like Abraham, you too, are fully persuaded.
The Lord Jesus is our protector, our deliverer, and our refuge from the storms of life. So if you are hanging by a thread in a hurricane today, keep hanging on. The strength of the Almighty God is on its way! And just don’t panic my friend, it’s not over yet.