Prayer in the Storm

Dear Lord,

You are the Shepherd of the seas (1 Peter 5:4), Master of the winds (Luke 8:24), our Rock, Tower, and Refuge (2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 18:2). Nothing is too hard for You. You spoke the universe into existence (Genesis 1); You parted the Red Sea (Isaiah 63:11); You made the sun stand still to protect Your people (Joshua 10:12). 

We beg You, Abba Father, to restrain this storm from harming Your children and those who one day will become Your children. May the power of this storm draw all to recognize You as Lord and Savior and lead them to trust in Your death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

Your arm is not too short to help us, and You have promised never to leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). You made us; You carry us; and You will deliver us (Isaiah 46:4).

When Abraham pleaded with You to spare his city, You told him that you would spare it if there were even a single righteous person within (Genesis 18). We know that all have sinned and fallen short of Your glory (Romans 3:23), and that there is none righteous based on their own merit (Isaiah 41:26; Romans 3:10). 

Yet Your children are clothed in the perfect righteousness of Your Son (Isaiah 61:10). We claim His precious blood to wash away our sins, make us righteous in Your sight, and thereby allow us into Your ark of perfect peace and safety (Romans 3:25; Genesis 5-10).

Isaiah 41:10  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Before You left this earth You spoke of roaring and perplexity in the seas (Luke 21:25) as a sign of Your imminent return, along with so many other signs of the times that are now coming to pass (Matthew 24). 

May You give us the courage, hope and boldness to look up, for our redemption draws nearer with each passing day (Luke 21:28). May we keep our eyes fixed on You, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), Who can empower us even to walk on water if we follow You in childlike faith (Matthew 14:29).

Father, we pray for safety for our lives, those of our families, loved ones, church families, workplaces, schools, and communities. We pray Your hand of protection over our homes, sanctuaries, businesses, properties. 

Yet we trust You to work all things together for our ultimate good and Your glory (Romans 8:28), according to Your perfect wisdom and Your will. We may not understand Your actions, but we yield to Your perfect will (Luke 22:42), for You are our Cup and Portion (Psalm 16:5), and You are All we need.

Lord, give us wisdom, guidance, and the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). May we be Your light in this storm and in all the storms of life, and help others, show them Your love, and encourage them to trust You. Please show us Your mercy, love and grace in this storm and always.

In Jesus’ precious Name,

Amen. 

© 2017 Laurie Collett

 

Shelter In The Storm

Praying for all those trying to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey – loss of hopes, dreams, property, jobs, loved ones and even life itself. Praying for God to spare our nation from the devastating storm that is Hurricane Irma, and from those that lurk more distantly. For me personally, Hurricane Irma may strike even closer to home, threatening my family, home, church, business, state, and nation.

Yet God is in control, His thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and His ways are higher than my ways. He works all things together for good for those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Job said he would trust and praise the Lord even though He would slay Him. For reasons we can’t begin to understand in this life, God allowed Satan to inflict loss of property, family, and health on His faithful servant Job, yet He never allowed Satan to take his life.

When Job began praying for his friends, even though they were quick to accuse him and tear him down rather than comfort him and build him up, God restored all to him and even more (Job 42:10).  May whatever storm we are facing teach us not only to draw closer to God in faith, but to fight as prayer warriors for one another.

Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), lashing out in fury with wind, lightning and floods as he knows his time is short to deceive humanity before Jesus Christ returns to banish him to the pit of hell. But Jesus is the One who spoke “Peace, be still,” to the raging storm, and the storm obeyed Him (Mark 4:39).

Praise God that if we have trusted His Son as our Lord and Savior, no one and nothing can harm us unless He allows it for our ultimate good and His glory. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). Our earthly possessions can vanish in an instant, but the treasures we store up in Heaven last forever, safe from theft, destruction, or corruption (Matthew 6:19-20).

Our earthly life is but a vapor, gone as quickly as a puff of smoke dissipates (James 4:14). But once we place our faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), He gives us eternal life in Heaven with Him and our loved ones in Him, in a glorified body that will never sin, age, die, or experience sickness, pain or sorrow, in our own mansion He has especially designed for each of us (1 Corinthians 15:49-57).

Praise God that He is our Shelter in the storm, our Rock, our Strong Tower (Proverbs 18:10) to Whom we can run, knowing that He will protect us as a hen protects her chicks (Matthew 23:37), and that He will hide us in the cleft of the Rock (Isaiah 2:21). He alone can lift us from the miry clay and place our feet on the firm foundation of the Rock that is Himself (Psalm 40:2).

May all be safe from the storm, trusting in Him Who is our Shelter, knowing that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5) , but that with Him, all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26). We can endure all trials in Him Who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13), for His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9)

© 2017 Laurie Collett