Good Saturday Morning!
When the storms of life are raging, stand by me.
When the storms of life are raging, stand by me.
When the world is tossing me,
like a ship upon the sea,
thou who rulest wind and water,
stand by me.
Charles Albert Tindley wrote this song in 1905. I learned it out of “The Green Book” while I was pastor and Sonny (whose face I can see but whose last name I cannot remember) was choir director at Redwine UMC in Hart County. It came to mind a little after 8 the other night when I was sleeping in front of the TV oblivious to the outside world….. and all of a sudden I was awakened to absolute darkness and a feeling that something just wasn’t right. And indeed, soon the firetruck was parked outside the house, a yellow ribbon cordoned off Spring Street, and, it was true…… something was not right. I looked down the street and saw the power lines at a 45% angle from where they should have been. A huge oak tree had fallen across the street in the raging wind. Thankfully, no one was hurt. But it would be 12 hours later when the power was back.
We live in an old neighborhood, and like so many others, the streets are lined with these beautiful old oaks, some close to 100 years old. Don’t you know they have stories to tell? They saw horses pulling wagons down the street, Model T Fords making their way to town. They gave their safety to thousands of birds and squirrels, their shade to thousands of people and witnessed the subtle changes of the way we live on the ground below. It is sad to see them go. And they are going. There is only one left in our yard. And once again we are talking about whether or not it is time to have it cut down. It makes me sad to think about it. But I know we need to. Because the storms of life are raging.
How good it is to know that even when the worst comes, we need not be afraid. Even when it feels as if we are walking in the darkness, we need not fear. For no matter what life brings us (and it will bring us some hard times) God is with us. Isaiah reminds us of God’s promise: I am with you in the storm. I will protect you with my powerful right hand. I hope you will keep that sweet truth close to you every day. You are not alone. God is with you. And God knows your name. Hope you will be in church on Sunday when we worship that same God and give him thanks and praise for standing by us even in the strongest wind.
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Martha