Lord,
The weather folks make it sound like Jesus is coming back this storm is going to be so bad.
First 12 inches, then 18, and now they say 30!
Is that even possible?
From our airwaves, we've heard: "Prepare promptly."
It will be the worst, worst than 2010!
It will be the worst, worst than 1996!
It will be the worst, worst since 1922!
(Ok, this sounds bad, maybe we should listen . . .)
So, we've stood in long lines at the gas stations, the grocery stores and Home Depot. We've fought fellow shoppers for parking spaces. We've grabbed batteries till the shelves were bear. We've remembered where our shovels are and put the bags of salt in our hall closets on alert. We thought we were ready.
But now as we watch the news, it's turned into "Prepare to panic. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HOUSE!"
With refrigerators full of frozen pizza, cheese and lunch meat, we've started to worry about when the power goes out. What fun is it to be at home in the freezing dark? All our meat will spoil. . .
Yet even if they call 2016 the worst and it is the ultimate worst.
You tell us not to fear. You tell us that you are in the storm. You tell us you are the Creator of this day.
And like any other day. You are before us. You are behind us. And most of all you are with us in the middle of it.
And because you are with us, might this storm be an opportunity OUT of our normal ways?
Out to let a neighbor use our snow shovel. Out to check on the lady across the street who lives alone.
Out with kinder hearts when this Sabbath us over.
Lord, be our eye in the middle of the storm. Watch over us the whole night through. But don't let fear steal the show! We've got better stories to tell.
AMEN
