New England weather is quite erratic. One morning you have the heat on and that same afternoon you need to turn on your air conditioning. So it is no surprise to us when a November snowstorm heads our way. When those newscasters start mentioning snow, we New Englanders know exactly what to do. Get gas for our snow blowers and generators, de-icer for the walkway, and of course, bread and milk, just in case we are stuck in our house for days, which incidentally never happens. Proper preparations are necessary for weathering any storm. Most of the time, like this recent storm, we get by quite easily. But every so often, we get clobbered with a doozy of storm, and we are very thankful that we took care of all the necessary preparations. It doesn’t matter if it’s an ice storm, blizzard or hurricane; those who are ready pass through them all with confidence and peace.
In the same way, the Christian life requires preparation. You can never know for sure when a storm will show up on your radar screen. Much like the weather in New England, life is unpredictable. I can assure each of you that storms will come and go. The question to ask yourself is how can you prepare properly for the ups and downs that life presents?
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” - Matthew 7:24
The best way to prepare is to ensure that our foundation is on the rock. That is, our foundation is on Jesus. Ladies, we need to spend time in prayer and in the word of God every day. The Bible is full of testimonies of God’s faithfulness toward those who love Him. Time after time, we see God’s mighty hand deliver His people from all sorts of trying circumstances. He delivered Daniel from the lion’s den; He healed the woman with the issue of blood; and He rescued Paul from the shipwreck.
We need to learn how to meditate on His word so that we are steadfast and unshaken when a storm hits. His word tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Our hearts and minds need to be in alignment with God. This can’t be done while the storm is brewing. We need to spend time preparing before the storm arrives.
I received a phone call last week that could have shaken me. Instead, my heart was prepared and full of God’s promises, which combatted the effects of that news. I was able to see past that moment, and into the future, confident of what God has ahead of me. For you see, when you are aware of the fact that God is in control of your life and loves you, there is nothing that can shake you. The storms will not beat you down.
“ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:25-27