Siblings,
At this time most of you have heard of the devastation wreaked upon the Caribbean, particularly Jamaica, by Tropical Storm Melissa. Currently the most powerful storm in more than a hundred years, perhaps ever, Melissa didn’t fit any typical pattern. Upon landfall, the storm’s impact has been felt throughout the entire island. No section was totally spared.
Prayers went up. And it is a miracle that it wasn’t worse. We are grateful for all the mercies. Yet, we also recognise the need to continue to seek God’s face in this difficult time. As the nation seeks to pick the pieces, I commend to us Today’s Holy Nougat.
Psalms 46:1, 3 AFV
[1] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
[3] Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains shake with the swelling of it. Selah.
YHWH, Our Refuge
Our faith is often proven in times of crisis. And Hurricane Melissa is no exception. Faced with the extreme amounts of rebuilding that Melissa has necessitated, many can lose hope.
Point to Ponder
When was the last time you felt like all hope was gone? What did you do?
Application
Although this psalm is a slight detour from our Exodus reflections, I believe it offers the hope many of us seek in times of despair. Scholars have mixed thoughts about the origin of the psalm, although King Hezekiah has been credited as a possible writer. Those who hold to that premise use Isaiah’s writings and 2 Kings 18-19 to corroborate their thesis. Regardless of the context, I have found this to be one of the most reassuring psalms in seasons of despair and distress. For me, it is not only an assurance of God’s might, but it also reminds me that in God, we all can find refuge.
Seeing the deluge of water dumped on the island, the ferocity of the winds, I was caught between awe at God’s might, and a very real concern for my people. Yet, through it all, one thought prevailed:
God IS our Refuge. Our present help as we seek to rebuild.
Before the storm: God provided time to prepare
In the storm: God allayed fears
After the storm (hopefully later today): God, our Refuge, will sustain us.
Even when the earth has been removed.
Even when there’s devastation everywhere
Even when it seems all hope is gone – it is God, only God
Prayer
Lord, we look to You for deliverance and restoration, even as we thank You for Your merciful grace through the storm. Heal a broken land, be with us in the restoration process, and be glorified even through the storm, in the name of Y’shua, amen
—
May all we seek be found in Christ
