Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 41: God In The Storm

 

Key Verse

“He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29-30 WEB

Lesson

Note: This object lesson is most effective while witnessing a live storm or natural disaster from a safe distance. When real fear of the storm is present there is a powerful teachable moment in which the fearful can be led to find reassurance in God’s promises as in Mark 4. 

Have you ever felt the raw power of nature in a storm? It is humbling. It makes you feel small and helpless. Humans have control of many things on earth through technology. But storms remind us how little control we have over our lives and even this moment! This feeling can be frightening. You may have had a pet that ran and hid at every thunder or lightning strike. Perhaps you wanted to do the same.

We are fearful of storms and natural disasters for a good reason. They cause harm and death. Why does God allow these bad things to happen?  There are many reasons given throughout the Bible. The most important one is that storms are a result of sin. Pain and death were not in God’s original plan. We live in a lost and broken world. But the Bible has good news! Here is a list of promises from the Bible to recall when you are in the midst of a storm of any kind.

Psalm 107:28-31

Nahum 1:7

Isaiah 25:4

Psalm 91 (especially v. 2)

Psalm 89:8-9

Joshua 1:9

Deuteronomy 31:8

James 1:2-5

Revelation 21:5

These promises tell us that God is in control even through the storm. They remind us that he can bring us through unharmed. And that, even if he does not, he has promised to make all things new and to wipe away every tear! God is the Creator of all things. No matter how big the storm or natural disaster, God is still in control, and he cares for you! Remember this, “Yet in the midst of heartache and loss of life, God suffers too, just like He did when His own Son died upon a cross.”1 God promises in Psalm 107 to bring us to our “desired haven”, and indeed he will when he returns!

Questions

Have you ever felt God did not care that you were experiencing a storm in your life?

Do you believe that God will keep his promises to be with us even in the midst of a storm?

What can you do when you feel afraid or unsure of what to do?

Sources

GLOW (Giving Light to Our World). Making Sense of Natural Disasters. Goodlettsville: GLOW, 2011. Print.

By David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner