Karl's Blog

Devotional 7.10.24

Dear Faith Family, 

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses, (Exodus 14:30-31). 

“Calm before the storm is probably derived from a bit of seafaring folklore, as a period of calmness is often felt before a storm rolls in. Winds calm, birds stop chirping, and sometimes the air feels heavy.  There is scientific truth behind the phrase’s use; the weather in advance of a storm is indeed often stable because the advancing storm is pulling warm, moist air out of the atmosphere, leaving a vacuum,” (Danielle Mcleod, grammarist.com). 

Genesis 1 and 2 certainly fit the calm before the storm found in Genesis 3. And most of us can attest to the calm that precedes a storm in our own lives, right?  You know, like a quiet evening at home around the dinner table (calm) before no less than four police cars chase a fifth vehicle in front of the house – drawing guns, yelling, handcuffing (storm).  Hypothetically of course.  Or a peaceful trip (calm) to the mountains before the truck refuses to travel another mile (storm).  Again, hypothetically. 

But that’s not what I want to write about.  The crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 14 appears to be running in reverse.  There’s the storm – you know, the Egyptian army, the Red Sea, and the Israelites fresh out of boats – before the still – you know the end of Exodus 14, the where the Israelites are worshipping God. 

I’ve found that to be a thing – the storm before the still.  Sometimes the sea of life gets pretty choppy.  Trials seem thick as thieves.  And there’s enough unrest to carry us deep into the night.  Sometimes the unrest gives way to exhaustion only to regain enough of a charge to awaken us in the middle of the night – like wide awake! 

A couple of observations?  One: I wonder if the storm before the still is the work of a restless enemy.  One who’s been around long enough to recognize when God is up to something.  (God is always up to something!)  Kind of puts a new perspective on the storm does it not?  Imagine the storms of life as catalyst to raise suspicion that God is up to something. 

Two: Could it be that God is using the enemy to demonstrate to us who He (God) is?  The answer is an emphatic “yes”!  In other words, the storms serve as opportunities for our God to demonstrate His power, His love, His wisdom to us visual learners.  (God wants us to know more than information.  He wants us to know Him!)  Don’t think for a minute that the restless enemy (see observation one) is operating outside of the parameters of our sovereign God. 

And don’t forget that there’s the still – you know the time to recognize something of what our God is doing and to celebrate – after the storm.  Still in the storm?  Take note of what is happening and remind yourself that God is at work in the storm.  Somewhere in the still?  Look around at what God is doing.  Thank Him for what you can see.  Celebrate Him. 

Trying to be still in the storm, 
Pastor Karl