In 1997, I was the director of a preschool. On February 10th, there was a terrible storm that was raging outside. When I looked out the window, the rain was going parallel with the ground. I yelled to all the teachers to get their kids to the hallway for shelter. After about 30 minutes the storm died down. I called to check on my mom, who was battling cancer. She said, “What storm?” Exasperated, I asked, “Are you kidding? We just had a tornado go over us!”
She called out to my uncle who was there with her to ask him about the storm. He was dumbfounded too. He asked, “Has it been raining?” I told them to look outside. Every house that had property touching theirs had trees down. Some had them crashed through their roofs. When they walked out into their yard, there wasn’t even a limb on the ground. It was like there was a bubble over the yard. God knew the storm we were about to endure and spared us from having to deal with house and property damage.
God doesn’t give us a trouble free life. He doesn’t stop storms from raging all around us, but He does protect us in them. Just like He did for my parent’s yard, He can give us peace in the storm. He can protect you from the damaging affects of it. The rain in your life may be going sideways and there may be tornadoes overhead, but God protects His people in times of trouble. He is a shelter to all who call on Him. The storms can destroy everything around you, but if you trust in Him, He will be by your side through it.
Nahum 1:7 says, “The Lord is good; he protects his people in times of trouble; he takes care of those who turn to him” (GNT). The writer is very clear that we are not exempt from times of trouble. He wants us to know that we have somewhere to go in those times. Just like I took the kids to the safest place in the building, our safest place is with God. He is our shelter and protector. He will walk with you through whatever you’re going through today. You don’t have to face it alone. Turn to Him and ask for His protection. He’s better than any storm shelter you will find.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 