Praise You in the Storm

Psalm 121:1-2 says:
"I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord;
the Maker of Heaven and Earth."

Imagine the Creator, holding you in the palm of His hand. Imagine the Healer, touching your body and making you well. Imagine the Comforter, drying your tears. Imagine the Father, wrapping His arms around you and keeping you safe from the deceiver of the world.

There are so many wonderful images of God. So many thoughts and words that we find in His Word to guide us and give us strength. Storms will come. He never promised us that they wouldn't. However, He did promise that He would be there when the storms did rise up. One of my favorite Christian songs is called "Praise You in the Storm" by Casting Crowns. It's an uplifting song how every tear we cry, God holds in His hand. It's a song that reminds us to listen to His whisper through the thunder that may roll in our lives, reminding us that He is with us. What an amazing reminder.

As David said in the scripture above, our help comes from the Maker of heaven and earth. We don't have to look to the stars for our answers. We look to the very one who MADE those stars. God spoke the world into existence. He created us in His own image. What a comfort to know that He is with us. Through the good and bad times, He is there.

My mother recently found out she has breast cancer. This disease has plagued many women in my mother's family and now it hits her. Hearing that "C" word is one of the scariest moments of my life, and it wasn't even related to me and my body. I felt fear like I had rarely felt before. I was ready to crumble. In fact, when my father told me that my mother had to have a biopsy, I did crumble. I balled on the couch for what felt like hours. My mother's condition stayed at the forefront of all my thoughts until we heard the results. The Saturday before we heard the results, I prayed and asked God "what if it's cancer?" His response rings through my head even now: "Then you will praise me in this storm."

The words of the psalmist and the words of the song suddenly had new meaning in my life. The scripture is quoted above and below are a few words from the song:
"As the thunder rolls, I barely hear You whisper through the rain
'I'm with you.' And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands, and
praise the God who gives . . . and takes away.
And I'll praise You in this storm, and I will lift my hands.
For You are who You are, no matter where I am.
And every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hands.
You never left my side, and though my heart is torn,
I will praise You in this storm."

The storms of life are going to come. That's a given. We live in a world dominated by Satan and he does everything in his power to make our Christian life miserable. He wants us to doubt our faith and doubt ou Savior. He wants us to break during the storm and defy the promise that God gives us. Even though the storms of life will come, God has promised to be there. Sometimes He calms the storm. Sometimes, He chooses to ride the storm with us.