Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Warning, A Storm Is Coming - Nah I'm Good
Storms come in many forms. Twenty years ago, one began to brew in my life when a group of friends chose to take matters into their own hands. Granted, it was an attempt to keep someone safe, but I warned them that their approach could come back to bite them.
The following day, three individuals had mistaken my identity (it happens more than you think) as one of the people I had warned. Originally, I kept my wits and avoided confrontation, but my youthful pride had me seething. Ultimately, I succumbed and joined my friends in physically fighting for the cause they thought was justified.
I was the guy who typically broke up fights or talked people out of making bonehead decisions. My nervousness was a sign that I was getting involved in something that could change my life’s trajectory. Two cracks of thunder across the sky finally woke me up, and I convinced the others to leave things alone.
Jonah 1:4-6
4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”
God was using the storm to wake up Jonah. We often think storms in our lives are punishments, but like Lead Pastor Ben Snyder said, “Wake up. This isn’t going to lead to the life that you want. You’re heading in the wrong direction.” Jonah did his best to avoid God’s path.
The thunder was my warning shot. The one positive thing I did before we headed out that night was ensure no one was carrying a gun, so we didn’t send our own shots. Due to how things escalated, the results could have been drastically different if one of my friends had brought a weapon. I went back to avoiding those situations after that night. Emotional thinking pulled me away from what I knew was right. I thank God for getting my attention.
Questions:
- What storms have you encountered in your life?
- Do you dwell in them because you think they are a punishment?
- How do you listen to God in the storm?
Next Steps:
- Continue attending or viewing the series Nah, I’m Good.
- Dive into the book of Jonah throughout the week.
- Text 21days to 419-419-0707 Participate in 21 Days of Prayer from August 8th – 28th.
21 days of Prayer
Day 3 Focus – For Our Nation and Our State (Acts 1:8)
Dear heavenly Father, I pray for the life-giving message of Jesus to spread throughout our nation and throughout Ohio and Michigan. I pray in each community, people would turn to you for direction and answers. May they know you as their Lord, savior, healer, and provider. Use me today to share your message and to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around me.
Today’s Parent Prayer