Out of the Storm

 “Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm.”

— Job 38:1

Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King,

After 37 chapters of speeches by Job and his friends, finally the LORD speaks. In God’s reply, there are no direct answers to Job’s questions but there are many questions of God’s own. What struck me today as I began reading God’s response is from where it comes. God speaks to Job out of the storm. When I am in the midst of one of life’s storms, I want You to silence it as You did on the Sea of Galilee with the disciples. I want You to speak over the storm, calming the wind and the waves. But if I’m honest, I rarely listen for Your voice “out of the storm.”

What if the storm I’m presently in isn’t just something to silence or for God to overcome, but something that God is speaking out of? What does that mean? When I am caught up in the whirlwind with the storm raging all around, I want out! I want the storm to stop. Rarely do I say, “Lord, I want to hear Your voice from this storm.” Psalm 77:18 says, “Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, Your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.” What if the next time the storm is raging, I would stop and inquire, “Lord, what are You saying to me from this storm?”

Gracious Lord, forgive me for times when I have only cursed the storm and not listened for Your voice within it. The storms of life can be terrible, agonizing, and frightening. But Nahum 1:3 declares, “His way is in the whirlwind and the storm.” Today, may I open my eyes and hear Your voice not just over the storm of in the midst of the storm but out of the very storm I am in. And when I finally hear Your voice, may I be comforted. May I find Your hand and allow You to lead me through the storm.

— In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!