Devotional Index

September 2011 Devotional

The God of the Calm

Mark 4:35-41

“And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39

These are the hours that grind slowly, those seemingly endless hours waiting in a hospital or clinic waiting room or the stormy times of life, waiting for God to provide the calm. Many times, we have been through the storms; many times we have seen the Lord provide the calm. In these long, quiet hours, there is time to reflect upon the storms and the calms.

Our oldest granddaughter was born nearly two months premature. Her mother was an unwed teen. “Be prepared”, said the doctor, “she probably won’t make it. If she does, she will have major health and emotional issues. Are you sure you are ready for this? We can help.” Today, she is very well-adjusted and on the honor roll at her Middle School. The God of the calm arrived just in time!

Another storm was even more terrifying! The waves were ready to capsize the boat and winds were ripping at the sails. It all seemed hopeless! Our daughter had been date-raped and was still unmarried, now pregnant with child number two. The emotional upheaval we all went through was excruciating.

It was decided by the doctor that she didn’t need another child. Knowing her father was a Baptist Pastor, the doctor knew he had to be cunning and deceitful. He told us she was not pregnant, she was carrying an empty birth sack and it was in her fallopian tube. If it wasn’t removed soon, it would burst and she would bleed to death in a matter of minutes. He would arrange for “the procedure” to be done. We were given a number to call.

“Hello, Planned Parenthood, how may I help you?” The phone dropped to the floor as we staggered in disbelief! What was going on? Planned Parenthood? We contacted Baptists for Life and explained what was happening to us. We were given words of advice, encouragement and comfort. We were also given questions to ask and things to be concerned about. The doctor and his associate were pushing for us to get “the procedure” done as soon as possible. Each visit we were told, “The sack is getting larger. It could rupture at any moment. You don’t want your daughter’s death on your hands, do you?” Reluctantly, we agreed to “the procedure”. We had to pay cash in advance, “Just in case there is a baby involved.” Insurance would not cover it if it turned out to be an abortion. We were again reassured that there was no baby. Her mom and I waited frantically in the waiting room. While our daughter was being prepped for “the procedure”, God sent in an angel of life! A doctor came in on her day off to “Catch up on some paperwork”. She saw the x-rays and the sonograms. Noticing our daughter in prep, she asked the other doctors if the parents were aware that their daughter was about to abort her child. She pointed out the healthy baby, located properly, and growing well. She asked to take over as our daughter’s doctor. A life was saved! Another premature, yet very healthy baby was delivered shortly hereafter. The God of the storm provides calm once again.

And then there was cancer; that ugly frightening “C” word. “She is already stage four. After chemotherapy, there will probably be as many as four surgeries”. We shuddered as the doctor spoke those terrifying words. With no insurance, the expenses would be a burden that could crush us. A former politician once said that when a person over 50 gets a life-threatening disease, they should “Step aside, their time is up”. After having her heart stop before the surgery began, leading to one and a half minutes of heart compressions, God was not done. Three times her blood pressure hitt critically low numbers, yet God was still working. Recovery was slow, but complete. Again the God of the storm stood by with the needed calm and now, waiting for the second major surgery, the God of the storm provided a calm. She survived the second surgery and recovery is under way.

While we never enjoy the storms, nor do we pray for them to come, we rejoice in that God is bringing glory to Himself. God is concerned and present in all the storms of life; be they in the birth of a premature “unplanned” baby, or in the birth of a baby to be aborted, or, if it’s in the illnesses of an adult who has “had their time”. God is the giver and sustainer of life. He is the One who decides who has “had their time”.

The storms of life never takes God by surprise. He allows them. He uses them. He has taught us many valuable lessons through the storms. We can use them to draw closer to Him. (Matt. 10:28-30) We can use them to learn to rejoice in difficult times. (James 1:2-4; Phil. 4:4) We can use the comfort we receive to help comfort others. (II Cor. 1:3-4) We can respond to the storms in a way that He is glorified. (I Cor. 10:20) We can use them to point others to Christ. (Matt. 5:16).

The sufferings we endure for a short while pale when compared to how Christ suffered for us. He laid down His sinless life on the cross of Calvary to pay the debt of our sins. We were guilty, He was guiltless. He paid the full price for our sins so that all we need to do is by faith ask Him to save us. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom. 10:13) Salvation is the free gift God gives to all who believe For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9)( Rom. 6:23)

Maybe you are currently facing a storm in your life. Maybe you are confronting a life-changing decision. Maybe you are struggling with a life issue that seems so clouded and uncertain. You are not alone. You don’t have to handle it by yourself. The God of the storm is the God of the calm. Let Him say to the storms of your life, “Peace, be still.”

Pastor Bill King
Pastor-Faith Baptist Church
Park Falls, Wisconsin
Board Member BFLW