As I write this morning, Hurricane Milton is about 40 hours from landfall somewhere in the greater Tampa Bay area. Milton has been a near-record-breaking storm to this point with winds at its peak that registered an astonishing 185 mph. Couple that with the understanding that Tampa has not taken a direct hit by a major storm in over 100 years, and you have a recipe for fear – if not outright panic.

I’ve felt it myself: that temptation to start rehearsing all the “what-if’s” in my mind. What if power goes out? What if debris flies into a window? What if a tree comes down? I’m sure you’ve all been there too.

So we pray. We pray that the storm will go someplace else. Get us out of the cone of uncertainty! And that’s really the core, isn’t it? It’s the uncertainty that gets to us. I’ve said many times over the course of my life that I can endure anything if I know what to expect. That’s been put to the test more than once in my life, but no matter the trial, Christ has always brought us through. 

That’s the certainty! That’s what we can know for sure! Because He’s been faithful in the past, I can say with complete confidence that no matter where Milton lands – here, south, or north – and no matter what comes, Christ will carry us through again.

I was reminded as we worshiped on Sunday morning of an old song by Scott Krippayne. It’s called Sometimes He Calms the Storm – here is the lyric:

All who sail the sea of faith find out before too long

How quickly blue skies can grow dark and gentle winds grow strong

Suddenly fear is like white water pounding on the soul

Still we sail on knowing that our Lord is in control

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Sometimes He calms the storm with a whispered peace be still

He can settle any sea but it doesn’t mean He will

Sometimes He holds us close and lets the wind and waves go wild

Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child

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He has a reason for each trial that we pass through in life

And though we’re shaken we cannot be pulled apart from Christ

No matter how the driving rain beats down on those who hold to faith

A heart of trust will always be a quiet peaceful place

songwriters: Benton Kevin Stokes / Tony W. Wood. Sometimes He Calms the Storm lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

Sometimes the side streets take us to bumpy roads full of potholes; sometimes they take us right into a storm. But we’re never, never alone there. I pray that He will indeed calm the storm named Milton, but more than that I pray that His “peace, be still” will rest over you this week.

Until the next turn, 

Gordon