Finding God When Its Storming

The greatest storm ever was the flood.

In the month of April on the 17 th ^day of the moon cycle it began to rain, it began to storm.  Genesis 7.  The Earth was about 1500 years old; and mankind was violent and evil.  God was starting over not with the nation of Israel, but with the all of humanity and Noah’s family and his sons.  It was the first storm and worst storm in all of history.  I was worse than Irma, Katrina, and Andrew and any other storm.   God intentionally opened the waters of the heavens, and underground causing a catastrophic flood to cover the whole earth.  GOD CAUSED IT. 

God in his wisdom saved the world by covering it and washing the violence of humanity away.  It was a new beginning.  To believe in a flood is to begin in a God who is willing to go a tremendous trouble to save mankind.   To believe in a good God is to find the good that a storm brings.  If you can find good in a storm and after a storm you have found God.  “Every good gift comes down to us from Heaven.”, James said.  GOODNESS IS EVIDENCE FOR GOD.  God saved the world by bringing the flood.  You and I are alive because of the flood and God’s goodness.  We are children of Noah, and then children of Adam.  All humans are made in God’s image regardless of where we find them or what they look like.  When you see people of different nationalities you should see the Grace of God.   The first storm was all about God saving the world, and the animals on a boat built by a faithful man who listened and obeyed God.  God always provides a way out of the storm for those that are faithful; always.  The door was open till the last day of the rain.  The flood was not a judgment; it was an act of grace for mankind. 

1. STORMS REVEAL THE GOODNESS, THE GRACE OF GOD, AND THE POWER OF GOD!

God isn’t punishing anyone when anyone could have got on the ark.  God didn’t need the ark to save the animals.  The animals on the ark just reveal the unwillingness of mankind to accept God’s salvation and existence. 

God sent a storm of Hail, lightning and thunder on Egypt it the worst storm since Egypt became a nation. (Ex. 9:24) The storm revealed how serious God was in loving his chosen people.  The storm revealed how much God loves freedom for his people.  The storm revealed the power of God over all mankind and goodness and patience toward mankind.   This storm takes place in the midst of the plagues God brought on Egypt to convince Pharaoh that God was real and that he was the power in the universe not any king or any man. 

2. STORMS REMIND US OR OUR NEED FOR GOD, AND THIS GOOD. 

STORMS REMIND US OF THE FRAILITY AND SHORTNESS OF OUR OWN LIVES.  We need God, and God will not be ignored.  Storms force us to see how small we are and how big He is.  The storm Irma is as large as some nations and God steers it and guides it.  God is all powerful.  God is all knowing.  God is omnipresent.  

Job 38:1  The Lord spoke to Job out of the storm!  God sends storms to teach us about Him. He is in the midst of the storm.  Every storm has a truth about God that He wants to teach us. 

3. GOD CAN BE FOUND IN THE STORM AND THIS COMFORTS ME. 

Psalm 107:29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

Psalm 148:8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,

4. STORMS ARE COMPLETELY UNDER THE CONTROL OF GOD. 

He controls the storm.  He can make Irma loud or quiet and all the storms do his bidding. This comforts me. 

Jonah 1:4  Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.

5. GOD SENDS STORMS TO GET US BACK ON OUR MISSION. 

What God did with Jonah is use the storm to get him back on the mission He purposed for him.  God uses storms to redirect his called to the mission of the Gospel. 

6.  STORMS REVEAL GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER MANKIND AND CREATION.

Nahum 1:3  The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

 Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 

If my God controls the storm than He is with me in it.  This truth comforts me.

7. STORMS ARE GOD’S WAY OF REVEALING HIMSELF THROUGH YOU AND I TO OTHERS IN THE STORM WITH US!

May others find God in the storm through you!  See Acts 27 Paul’s storm.  Your goodness, and love for others can’t be hidden, and others will see God in those moments.  Love your neighbor. 

I hope this helps you have comfort and to see the goodness, the greatness, and the glory of God in the storm.