Rest in the Storm

"Rest in the Storm"
by Don Emmitte

There is always a storm in the midst of life.
It blows with its bitter wind
Covering us with its cold blanket of hurt and sorrow.
In the midst of the storm there is a rest.
Placed like a sanctuary standing tall and secure.
It is a sentinel against the cold.
It is a guard to our soul’s peace and joy.
No wind may blow fierce enough,
no snow may blot it out.
For our Father has placed it within our path.
Easily seen against the stark horizon.
It is His rest in the storm.
It is His promise of life.
It is His presence!
Praise Him for His Light!

The following is Psalm 33. The poem is one I wrote in response to the psalm:

Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33 ESV).

The principle focus of the meditation today is found in the truth that outward circumstance must not determine our inward happiness. Today as you move through your work day, remember that His love and grace go far beyond anything that may be brought to bear against you. Do not rest in your strength today, but in His loving arms. As you look at the picture accompanying the poem, let it be a visual reminder of how He provides a place of shelter for us in every situation of life we are called upon to face.

Blessings,
Don