“When the storms of life are raging stand by me…”
When I was in grammar school, I can still remember at least one of my classrooms having a saying up for all to see for the month of March, “In like a lion and out like a lamb.” Our teacher would put up decorations in the classroom to mark different seasons of the year, months in the calendar, and important dates. For example, I can also remember pictures of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln going up for February and President’s Day. For March the saying “In like a lion and out like a lamb” included a picture of swirling winds at the beginning of it, and a gentle, calm scene at the end. These words came to mind these past few days.
As I write this our home in Dennis doesn’t have any power and Joy and I just finished digging out from yet another winter snowstorm. We are grateful the church buildings do have power, so we can charge phones, have access to the internet, and stay warm. Although it’s not March yet, it is less than a week away, and this last blizzard was certainly “lion-like.” Hopefully, as we move through the month, the weather will feel a little more like a “lamb.”
While the winds were kicking up, battering our home, and the snow was swirling about, I was also reminded of the words to the hymn “Stand by Me.” (UMH# 512) The first verse is this: “When the storms of life are raging, stand by me. When the storms of life are raging stand by me. When world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea, thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me.”
The hymn speaks about how we can turn to God during the storms of life to help us get through them. I confess, I said some additional prayers these past few days, as our power was out, the house was cold, and I wasn’t sure what things would look like the next morning. I prayed for members of our family also braving the storm, and prayed for the safety of members of our congregation, especially those who are older, frailer and alone. I prayed that we too would be safe through the night and that soon – soon – the power would come on and things would be better again.
Another thing that I found myself doing was thinking ahead a bit. What I mean is I knew that at some point in the future, as dark, threatening, and bleak as things seemed in the moment, the power would come back on, things would calm down, the snow would eventually melt, and the sun would become warm and strong again. I knew this was all coming – someday – but I just had to be patient, and faithful in the present and short-term. Turning to God helped me do this.
We all face different “storms” in our lifetimes, not only due to inclement weather; the loss of a loved one, an unexpected health challenge, some injustice or painful experience. When these storms come, they too can be challenging, threatening, and frightening. However, it helps to continue to trust in the faithfulness of God and to try to look ahead some. Although it might not seem like it in the moment, things will get at least a little easier if we remain patient and try to be faithful. During the storms of life, we can find ourselves turning more toward God. While we certainly wouldn’t wish any storm on ourselves or others, when one does come, they can have a way of making us more aware of our need of God, which can strengthen our connection with the holy. We can find that God is “standing by” us, helping us weather the storm. Strangely, other valuable things can come from these storms, like being additionally appreciative of some things we can take for granted, and we can become more neighborly. During and right after the recent blizzard, people were checking in with each other, making calls, helping each other out, inviting people over, and more. It was a good feeling. Sometimes, curiously, the storms in life can not only bring us closer to God but bring out the best in us and others.
I do hope we’re finished with the winter storms for this season. It will be interesting to reflect upon this most recent storm in a few weeks’ time.
Our faith assures us that God is ready to help us calm the storms of our lives, providing additional strength, guidance, comfort, and encouragement. One way God does this is as we become additionally present to each other, offering help and assistance, not only during the storms but at all times.
God Bless,
Pastor John
