“ 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” - Genesis 6:5-8
“1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” - Psalm 46:1-3
What’s the worst storm you have ever experienced?
Don’t get me wrong, there are times when the sound of rain tapping on the roof is the perfect nap partner, but this wasn’t that kind of storm. Picture a raging storm that floods everything you know, decimating everyone you know, every hang out and every business destroyed.
This was the kind of flood Noah and his family experienced- a forty day storm that flooded the surface of the earth beyond the tallest mountains. This storm was so intense, Noah’s family had to remain on the ark over a year after the rains stopped while they waited for the waters to recede.
Before the storm began to rage, before the waters even had a chance to flood, God safely sealed Noah and his family inside the ark. The ark wasn’t just a place to seek shelter in the midst of the storm. The ark was their refuge in which to hide before the first drop of rain fell. Because we live in a sinful world, we are guaranteed to face trials and hardships, storms of this life.
If we set our attention on the storms that rage and the devastation they leave behind, life can feel overwhelming, struggling just to keep our heads above water. Jesus wants to be your refuge before, during, and after life’s storms. He wants to be your ark that shelters you.
Life with Jesus is never promised to be trouble-free, but He will be with you and provide a peace the troubles can never take away. As you hang your ornament today, remember, God’s promise to be your shelter in midst of life’s storms.