Visitors to Colorado often comment on the changeable weather we experience here.  Those of us who have lived here awhile tell them to “Wait a few minutes”, because it can change minute by minute from sunshine to hard rain and then back to sunshine again in a blink of an eye. 

A few weeks ago my son fastened a special type of sun protection fabric onto our pergola. It allows sun and rain to come through, but provides a bit of shade which lowers the temperature on the patio, making it pleasant to be out there on hot days.  

A few days after he put it up, there was a heavy rainfall, which included some hail. The rain was no problem, but the weight of the hail caused the cloth to rip in several places, and tore it from its supports. Frustrating and annoying, because it can’t be repaired.

Storms  come into our lives, too.  Sometimes they are minor annoyances that accumulate and cause us to become discouraged. Other times they are devastating events that completely change our present and future.  

It can be hard, even for those of us who desire to walk with Jesus,  to keep going when we are overwhelmed by various storms. This is why it is good to remind ourselves regularly of Who Jesus is, What he is about, and How we are to participate in the process.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “ This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:12-14 & 17

 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash”. Matthew 7:24-27

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Mathew 7:28-29

One thing to remember: Practice does not “make perfect”, however it does increase our ability to learn and enlarge our capacity to grow in our relationship with Jesus.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

The hymn below was written in 1787 by Richard Keene and is in the public domain. I grew up singing this at church and it is still a great encouragement to me. Sometimes I sing it; sometimes I read it aloud.


How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.”

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.”

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.”

“E’en down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when grey hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.”

“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake!”

by Carolyn Schmitt