Til the Storm Passes Over

Today is a fantastic sunny day here in the South.  The boys have enjoyed playing in the damp earth searching for bugs and worms, running, swinging and laughing.  My heart sings when I get to sit and watch my children being so carefree and enjoying the beautiful weather that we have not enjoyed for many many days because of rain and severe weather we have experienced.  I am reminded,
especially after the rough weather patterns we have had for the last month or so, of just how wonderful God's creation is for us to enjoy.  Being outside makes me immediately feel closer to the Creator.  From Psalm 19:

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world.


Yet, on this beautiful day, I am thinking of those who are without today. Because of the tornadoes that affected several states and killed over 300 in one day, many are left without food, power, water, homes, family.  I am feeling so blessed to be enjoying the beauty of the day, and there are others who are hurting today for various reasons, not just related to the storms.  They hurt because of the other storms life can bring.  We are constantly reminded that nothing on this Earth will last.  Nothing we do or make can stand against God's power.  Nothing ultimately matters when compared with eternity.  The only thing that matters is our salvation and sharing that with others.  We must guard our hearts against the storms the way we guard our possessions.  Sadly, I have not always felt as protective of my own heart as I have my stuff.  I have not only allowed bad things in, I have invited them in at times....From the things I watch, to the books I read, to the music I choose.  I have not always understood that those things all shape your heart.

My goal for now is to guard my heart and protect it the way I would protect anything else of value.  It is the most valuable thing I have.  I will not let the storms of life threaten to topple me, because my treasure is laid up where (to paraphrase Matthew 6) moth and rust (and storms!) cannot destroy and thieves cannot break in and steal. If my heart is set on heaven, then the things of this world no longer seem so charming.  This, obviously, is easier said than lived.  The truth is earthly things provide comfort and give me a (false) sense of safety as I try to live in this evil world.  It's a fine line that I walk daily to keep my trust in the One who holds my future and not in the things that fill my life. 

I know that several of my very good friends have been affected on a very personal level by the literal and figurative storms lately. My prayer for you all is that you will put your trust in the only One who can truly comfort and protect and that you will be given a measure of peace to make it through until this storm is over.
-Kel