Stronger Than The Storm
Recently
I have seen a set of TV commercials by the State of New Jersey trying to encourage
people to come back to the Jersey Shore this summer—that is, in the wake of the
post-Sandy devastation and subsequent cleanup.
The slogan of the campaign, one that is being quoted over and over again
by Governor Christie, and even repeated by President Obama, is “Stronger Than the Storm.” In other words, in spite of the terrible
destruction left by Hurricane Sandy, the Jersey Shore has been rebuilt and is
ready for business. Due to the
resilience of its people and their combined efforts, the State of New Jersey
has proven itself to be “Stronger Than
the Storm.”
This
is good news for those of us who love to go to the Jersey Shore during the
summer. I hope to get down there with my
family at some point this season. It’s
kind of a tradition for us to spend an afternoon or two on the beach and the
evenings walking the boardwalk, eating pizza or ice cream, and simply enjoying
the sea breeze and summer crowds. I for
one am glad that New Jersey is bouncing back and that this summer we will be
able to once again enjoy the Jersey Shore.
But,
as I have listened to the slogan and watched the commercials, I have been
reminded of something else—actually, someone else—that is stronger than the storm. The
New Testament tells us of a time when Jesus was out with his disciples in a
boat. A huge storm arose on the sea that
threatened their lives. And Mark wrote, “(Jesus) got up, rebuked the wind and said
to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely
calm.” (Mark 4:39 – NIV) At that moment, Jesus' disciples realized that
Jesus was truly, stronger than the storm!
We
all have storms that come blowing
into our lives that threaten to damage, if not destroy us. There are times when life becomes really,
really hard. Many times we don’t know
how we will ever bounce back or make it through. But, the Bible tells us that there is One who
is able to speak peace into our lives, bring comfort to our souls, and healing
to our minds. God is more than able to
help us conquer all things for he is still a very, very strong God.
When the oceans rise and thunders roar,
I will soar with You above the storm;
Father You are King over the flood
I will be still and know you are God! (Morgan)
Put
your trust in God. He is still stronger than the storm!
Have
a great day
Pastor
Tim Harris
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