Last week we had a couple of days of stormy weather to contend with. Those of us whose hair is growing rapidly out of shape and is now too long hard to face even worse bad hair days with the strong gusts of wind. It was time to batten down the hatches and hope that not too much damage was done. One morning after a particularly windy night we got up to discover a large branch had broken off in one of our trees in the garden. A rose bush met a similar fate. To say nothing of a lot of petals from flowers covering the ground.

The storm and its aftermath made me think our unique 2020 Covid-19 storm. It has been raging for the whole of this year in some part of the world. It has done untold damage in its wake. Our hearts go out to all who have lost loved ones and dear friends. We feel for all who have been battling the virus and the toil that it has taken. It has raged against industries, economies and employment.

We are still in the middle of the storm at the moment. We do not yet know what life will be like when we come through this particular storm. That uncertainty can be like a storm within us as well. We can only hope that the damage will be as little as possible and that we will be able to pick up our lives and go on as best we can.

Jesus was a pillar of strength when the disciples faced a storm at sea. He was the one who got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

He is still our pillar of strength. He can say to the storms of uncertainty that rage within us,

 “Quiet! Be still!”