Eye of the Storm

Intro.

*TEXAS GIANT STORY*

Sometimes, life Eye of the Stormthrows us a curveball. Things might be going quite well for us, and then out of nowhere we are hit right in the face with something that is really difficult to deal with.

Or, for some people, we go through really long stretches of time that feel like everything is bad all the time! Chances are, nearly everyone here will have experienced one of these two in their lives. Hard times affect everyone without discrimination.

This week, I and the other staff want everyone to understand that, while life is very hard sometimes, God is always there, and He will give us what we need — we just need to trust Him.

*Think of a trust fall exercise; you stand with your back to a friend and fall, trusting them to catch you. In life, we often need to engage in those spiritual trust falls with God. It may seem daunting, but when you hit the ground and realize He caught you, it becomes easier to trust Him for the next leap.*

God Who Sees

Isa. 43.1-2 — But now, thus says Yahweh, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.

In this short little passage, God’s promise to us is that He will never leave His faithful children. If we have God, there is nothing in this world that we have to be afraid of! Even though bad times often come and go in this life, we are always up and then down — God is the one thing that is constant, or that never changes through all of it.

My life has changed a lot over the years: Losing loved ones, changing career course, living in Alaska for awhile, cars dying, etc. Yet, through all of these changes in my life, each of them being scary in their own kind of way, God was always there and He has always provided the way for me to get through these circumstances!

I am reminded of another story in the Bible, of a woman called Hagar. She was the maid of Abraham’s wife, Sarah; when she became pregnant while Sarah still could not have any children, Hagar began to look down on Sarah and mock her. In return, Sarah became very overbearing towards her, and Hagar ran away. When she ran away from Sarah, God looked upon her and saw her condition and how she had been treated. God told her to not be afraid, but to return to Sarah and be humble, and God would bless her and her child. After this interaction, Hagar calls God “El Roi,” or, God Who Sees me. Today, several thousand years later, God is still the God Who Sees.

He sees everything that you are going through, everything that you have been through, everything good or bad thing that you have done — and He loves you! So, when we go through these hard times in life, it is important for us to know that we are seen by the Creator of the Universe. Hard times, though they are scary and difficult, are not the end of the world, nor do we ever need to feel like we are alone in this life. God has not left you alone, especially if you are His child in Christ!

Conclusion

Life is going to provide is with plenty of opportunities to experience God’s goodness and faithfulness. This week is going to be an experience of His goodness, and that will look different ways for different people.

As we go forth this week to see more about God’s faithfulness in life’s storms, let’s go into it ready to learn just how good God really is, especially to His children.