MERRY MONDAY- BY PARRIS BAILEY
PSALM 57- “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: For my soul trusteth in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.”
I was not prepared for the storm that hit the Metro Area weeks ago. I was over at Marysong ministering to them, when I received a text to “take cover, because a tornado was near”. The girls were already on edge because of the high winds, sky turning green to a scary black. I was trying to set them at ease by lighting candles, praying and listening to worship music when the power went out. Then I got the text to “take cover” I knew things would deteriorate into full force fear. We all went into the hallway and begin to recite the Psalms. Most of the girls were holding up pretty good as the storm passed, but two of them were overcome with fear. I wondered how my grandchildren were making out at the school and daycare on our property. The students lined up in the bathrooms some singing and some crying. Our administrative staff helped holding babies and calming the little ones. Thank God the storm passed and all was safe! Power was out in the area for hours, later we heard the train cars in Elmwood blew off the high bridge and trees down all over. Amazing how quickly a storm can come and mess up your world!
David faced these kind of storms again and again when he was being chased by King Saul or his own son taking over his throne. He learned to make the caves that sheltered him feathered with God’s wings! Instead of looking at the darkness and hopelessness he saw that an almighty force was in control. Makes me wonder how many caves had inscriptions of David’s plights and when he came across them again, he would recall the past deliverance?
Expositor Bible says, “That faith is blessed, and cannot but be strong, which is nurtured by the remembrance of past acts of rewarded faith, as the leaves of bygone summers make rich mould for a new generation of flowers. So the singer betakes himself to his shelter till “destructions are gone by.” Possibly these are likened to a wild storm which sweeps across the land, but is not felt in the stillness of the cave fortress. Hidden in God, a man “heareth not the loud winds when they call,” and may solace himself in the midst of their roar by the thought that they will soon blow over. He will not cease to take refuge in God when the stress is past, nor throw off his cloak when the rain ceases; but he will nestle close while it lasts, and have as his reward the clear certainty of its transiency. The faith which clings to God after the tempest is no less close than that which screened itself in Him while it raged.”
“When you sigh
The wind becomes a sonnet
When you laugh
The storm around me ceases
You whisper
And all my enemies are scattered
You surround me
With angels on assignment” (Amanda Cook)