Bitter Cold, Heavy Snow and I.C.E
There are two catastrophic storms battering our neighborhoods and nation.
One is wreaking havoc with snow/sleet/subzero temperatures... and the other is using deadly force in a political firestorm.
Another 37-year-old American was killed in the streets of Minneapolis this weekend. I'm gutted (again) by the footage, the force, the fatal gunshots... and the sickening narratives being shouted... ahead of investigations.
It's an unnatural disaster... and a state of emergency. (Not only in Minnesota.)
God, help us.
Other storms are brewing here too.
Wars and rumors of wars.
Collusion... corruption... coverups.
Religious persecution, racism, hate crimes and human trafficking... from north to south, east to west.
And then there's our internal tempests.
Dread, distress, dis-ease.
Strangling addiction, debilitating anxiety, overwhelming despair. Simmering rage... and raging psychosis.
(Unseen storms that strike in any weather, in all four seasons.)
The truth is, sometimes we know a storm is coming... and we can't or don't take cover... because we're paralyzed with fear. Or too busy storm-tracking. Or laser focused on fault-finding. Or foolish enough to think we can brave the elements alone.
And sometimes the storms blindside us.
Like lightning bolts or bullets - unpredictable and potentially lethal. Something or someone gets struck in an instant. Ambushed by deadly force... meteorologic or manmade.
(Other storms are self-inflicted: impulsive actions, imprudent decisions, stoking conflict, fueling hatred. They wreak havoc too... like a tornado tearing up a town, like black ice in a blizzard.)
In 30 seconds, the whole trajectory of a life can take a razor sharp turn. Or come to a tragic end. (Ask the family of Alex Pretti.)
In the days ahead, there will be all kinds of conjecture about training and triggers, means and motives, policies and politics and repercussions. And while questions and conversations are important, wouldn't it also be helpful to consider what we - you and me - might do to prevent the next calamity? (Or at least weather it with prayer, prudence, preparedness?)
Culture wars and weather patterns and political firestorms... most of them brew in an unseen realm.
Two powerful fronts collide.
High and low pressure.
Hot and cold.
(Left and right.)
Nearly always, it comes down to this...
Good vs. Evil.
That story isn't fiction. It's the nature and narrative of this tempestuous world. A global storm front. A ceaseless battleground.
Because that's what we are.
Both wonderful and wretched. Divine and despicable. Made in God's beautiful image... and inclined to turn ugly.
All.
Of.
Us.
Which means life itself is both good and bad. Beautiful and brutal. Sadly, the good is rarely reported... and somehow, the brutal takes us by surprise.
How is it possible that even homes and schools, synagogues and churches aren't safe anymore?
I can't explain away the evil around us, except to say that God - graciously - gives every one the freedom to do as we please. Law enforcers, protestors, politicians... and bystanders.
Sometimes we do good. Sometimes we don't.
And the ripple effects circle the world.
I know one thing for sure.
When storms ravage and clashes escalate... when bullets tear bodies and shatter hearts... God isn't MIA.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he saves those whose spirits are crushed. ~ Psalm 34:18 (CEB)
Mercifully he offers... himself.
Our first responder, our rescuer washes us clean, binds up our wounds, dries our tears, restores our souls.
Though it seems too fairy-tale to be true...
Jesus saves.
Sometimes we can't see the fullness of the rescue mission with our own eyes. It's beyond our field of vision... or... beyond our lifetime. In the dark, we ask the hardest questions and discover our deepest needs: a rescue, a refuge, rest... relief.
Where do we get those?
When all hell breaks loose, we need a safe place to hide out - and ride out - the storms.
A shelter.
A stronghold.
Where's yours?
Or more pointedly... who?
Who has the peace to impart/power to protect/compassion to comfort you in chaos and crises?
In all the universe, there's only One.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him. ~ Psalm 91:2 (NLT)
But what about the folks who just lost everything - loved ones, homes, hope - in a storm... or in a raid?
Or the precious people being slaughtered in Sudan and Iran?
Or the Israeli hostages who suffered untold terror at the hands of their captors for 477 days? Or the children in Gaza who were maimed/starved/orphaned/killed?
What about their safety?
The truth is, they weren't safe. They aren't. No one is safe anywhere on this planet.
Because safety isn't a place.
It's a Person.
The One who holds and helps us in the danger, amidst the destruction. And offers hope when ours is bleeding out.
I will never fail nor abandon you. ~ Joshua 1:5 (TPT)
When we cry out, God hears... cares... comes. We're never too far gone. Never beyond his reach.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and God will say, “I’m here.” ~ Isaiah 58:9 (CEB)
He doesn't promise immunity, prosperity, perfect health. Quite the opposite. He foretold trouble in fact.
But in the face of trouble, in the eye of the storm, he promises his presence, peace... and strength when ours is gone.
Yes, these are dark days. Storms are raging. Please... don't delay.
Seek shelter immediately.
Godspeed.
Wendy
