April 3, 2025
Hope in Our Creator -- Part 1
God’s Presence
By light of day, we could see what devastation the massive tornado had caused. It was unreal. Homes and businesses destroyed. Lives lost. People still missing. Trees stripped to nothing, or splintered into toothpicks. The terror of the night had been real, even for me, 10 miles away from the worst of the destruction.
As I listened to the weatherman’s calm tones, as he issued tornado warning after tornado warning (over 200 of them), it did anything but soothe my growing panic. I knew people in the storm’s path, and few could respond to my frantic texts, as the effects of the storm extended to communication capabilities.
Panic wanted to explode in my chest, but I knew that would do no good. I needed to stay calm for my children’s sake.
“Lord,” I prayed earnestly, “you are in control of everything. You are in control of these storms, and with a word, You can calm this storm and protect my friends, just as you did on the Sea of Galilee. Lord, I’m choosing to trust You with this.”
I had to keep praying, and keep choosing to commit it all to Him; keep choosing to trust Him. And at some point, during the night, in between prayers, I saw the parallel between the night’s storm and my life.
When I woke up after the storms of my life, I found destruction everywhere. People I had always relied on were gone. My home was destroyed, relationships lost. The terror of the night was very fresh in my memory.
I struggled to wrap my mind around the devastation.
Then there was the question of “What now?” I’d lost everything, or so it seemed. What do I do now? How could I piece my life together again? How could I find hope in all the chaos?
But I hadn’t lost everything. As I stood gazing at the shambles of my life, I felt a hand on my shoulder, gentle and comforting. Turning, I gazed into the face of my Creator. Somehow, He’d found me — as if He’d known where I was all along.
“Let me help you rebuild. Not all is lost. I’m your Redeemer. I have promised to work everything together for your good, and you can depend on Me. Just as I calmed the Sea of Galilee with a word, I will bring calm to your troubled heart. And just as I turned the water into wine at the needed time, I can provide for you what you need when you need it.”
Hope stirred in my heart. If He would be with me, I could get through anything. Placing my hand in His, and looking deep into His, I said (and I really meant it), “I can’t do this without You. I don’t have anyone else to turn to. If You don’t go with me, I can’t go on…”
“I’ve already promised, and My promises can’t fail,” He replied, so gently, so tenderly. “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Let your communication be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, ‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’ …and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
My mind wanted to race to all the what-ifs, but He gently stroked my face: “Don’t worry about it, My child. I care about the little sparrow, feeding it daily. I clothe the flowers in finer clothing than the richest kings wear, and you have so much more value to me than the plants and animals who do not have eternal souls. So why should you worry? I will provide for you better than any husband could…” (my paraphrase of Matthew 6:25-34)
I pushed Him a little further, because I just had to know: “I know You don’t like divorce, but will You go with me even through divorce?” I lowered my eyes in shame. I was so embarrassed and heartbroken that I was even in such a position that I needed to ask.
Tilting my chin upward to His face once more, He met my eye, and repeated, “…for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest — yes, even through divorce. You are my child, I will not abandon you.”
Grateful tears ran down my cheeks, as the truth began to sink in. He didn’t like divorce. Neither did I. It wouldn’t have been what He wanted for me, and definitely not what I would have chosen for me, but because of sin, things were no longer ideal, as He had created them to be. He would not even abandon me through the effects of sin. That kind of love that wouldn’t abandon me even when things got ugly, less than ideal, was new to me.
Something about His gentle love inspired my confidence in Him. He loved me. He would not let anything destroy me. He was going to be there no matter what, and I could depend on Him, all-powerful as He is, to work all things together for my good, even the ugly and heart-breaking things.
As if He could read my thoughts, which He could, He reminded me of the verse in Psalm 138:8: “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”
Glancing back at the devastation around me, and then at the Creator beside me who had promised He would never abandon me, I suddenly found that the journey to recovery didn’t look so gloomy. The sun streaming down through the broken clouds was suddenly warming instead of intensely revealing the depth of my loss. The storm’s devastation was not going to destroy me. By the grace of God, I would persevere and watch Him bring redemption and restoration as only He can.
This is a great idea. I look forward to reading more of your post. Love you