Our Daily Bread 17 January 2020 Devotional – Storm Chasers
Bible in a Year: Genesis 41–42, Matthew 12:1–23
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Key Verse: He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. – Psalm 107:29
Today’s Scripture: Psalm 107:23–32(NIV)
Insight
The author of Psalm 107 is unknown. Many scholars believe it was written sometime after a remnant of Jews returned to Israel following their seventy-year exile in Babylon. The psalm features four types of people in distress and how God rescued them. They include those in the wilderness (vv. 4–9), people in captivity (vv. 10–16), those who are sick (vv. 17–22), and those in distress (vv. 23–32). In each section we find the refrain: “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (vv. 6, 13, 19, 28). And each time after God graciously delivers them, the people are exhorted: “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind” (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31).(Alyson Kieda)
Message: “Chasing tornadoes,” says Warren Faidley, “is often like a giant game of 3D-chess played out over thousands of square miles.” The photojournalist and storm-chaser adds: “Being in the right place at the right time is a symphony of forecasting and navigation while dodging everything from softball-sized hailstones to dust storms and slow-moving farm equipment.”
Our Daily Bread 17 January 2020 – Storm Chasers
Faidley’s words make my palms sweat and heart beat faster. While admiring the raw courage and scientific hunger storm chasers display, I balk at throwing myself into the middle of potentially fatal weather events.
In my experience, however, I don’t have to chase storms in life—they seem to be chasing me. That experience is mirrored by Psalm 107 as it describes sailors trapped in a storm. They were being chased by the consequences of their wrong choices but the psalmist says, “They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm” (Psalm 107:28–30).
Whether the storms of life are of our own making or the result of living in a broken world, our Father is greater. When we are being chased by storms, He alone is able to calm them—or to calm the storm within us.
Reflect & Pray
When facing difficulties, where do you turn for help? How might you trust your heavenly Father today, who is greater than your storms?
Thank You, Father, that You’re with me in my struggles and Your power is greater than any storm on my horizon.
To learn about why suffering occurs, visit christianuniversity.org/CA211
Our Daily Bread 17 January 2020 Devotional – Storm Chasers was written By Bill Crowder(Our Daily Bread Ministries)
