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!”
