the thunder boomed and lightning crackled. the wind was forceful, destructive. the storm violently disturbed the night.
i heard my daughter's cry. it was the bad cry; the cry she cries when she's hurting or afraid.
she was very sick. and very afraid.
i wanted to reach up into the sky and grab the storm by it's neck and throw it into tomorrow. i wanted to swaddle my 6 year old baby in a receiving blanket and sing her back to sleep.
she was frightened. "i tried to close my eyes and hold my ears shut," she said. "but it felt like there was a storm on the inside of me."
that's fear.
fear is a storm on the inside. physically destructive. a violent disturbance of the normal condition.
the thunder continued to drum and the lightning zapped. she was sick all night. the damage was done.
we were weary and weak in the morning. our backyard potted plants were knocked over, beaten down. my sweet princess didn't want to get out of bed, she had been beaten, too.
like a storm, fear is capable of making the power go out. fear prevents us from being able to overcome. fear takes away our peace. a whirlwind through our spirit, fear knocks down our inner strongholds.
we have to be stronger than fear. we have to know where to go- which closet or bathtub- for safety in the storms. we have to trust God to be our safeplace.
Lord, i pray my daughter is physically healed. i pray she is spiritually strengthened. i pray the next storm doesn't get to her (or any of us) on the inside. i pray fear can't get a grip on us. i pray we have the peace of Christ, and in His arms we run for safety and comfort. i pray nights are peaceful and restful, even during forceful disturbing storms. amen.
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
"Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
Mark 4:39 NIV
If you say, "The LORD is my refuge,"
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
"Because he loves me," says the LORD,
"I will rescue him; I will protect him."
Psalm 91:9-14 NIV
