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10-12-21 Glenda Simpkins Hoffman
This past week, my husband forwarded me a remarkable article about two castaways who were miraculously found alive after spending 29 days lost in the Pacific Ocean. They survived on rainwater, coconuts, and praying to God.
I confess just reading this story, even though it resolved happily, brought me a sense of uneasiness. I grew up in the desert, so boating on large bodies of water makes me a little uncomfortable. However, when we lived in Chicago, I did some sailing with friends on Lake Michigan. The news story brought to mind one particular personal experience.
A friend who was an experienced sailor took a group of us out on his sailboat one beautiful, sunny summer afternoon. After several hours, clouds began to build. He quickly turned the boat toward shore, but it took us awhile to return. I confess I was scared, and I was praying all the way. We were never really in danger, but I was aware of the potential. I was so thankful when we made it back to shore just as the storm broke loose.
Both the news story and my personal experience connected to my devotional readings this week in Psalm 107:23-32: “Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity; they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits’ end.”
Seafaring is a way of life for some people, and storms are part of that life on the sea. When storms arise, we realize how vulnerable and powerless we are. We can’t do anything to calm the storm ourselves, but we can turn to the one who is powerful and able to help us as we cry out to him in prayer.
“Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress; he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.”
This portion of the psalm also matches the experience of the two men in the news story who attributed their survival to prayers to God. Amazing! They believed God heard their prayers and helped them, and they were honoring God by giving him credit.
In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus and disciples experience a storm. The disciples were terrified, but Jesus was fast asleep. They cried, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
The story about Jesus makes clear he is the same God who calmed the literal storm in the psalm and elsewhere in the Old Testament. But it also points to our need to cry out to the Lord in the midst of our storms, whatever form they may take, and to trust him in the midst of it all.
The storms of life encompass both literal and metaphorical. I may not have been experienced any storms at sea, but I have lived through many in my lifetime, even in this last year, and so have you.
We have all been dealing with a pandemic for over a year and a half. Though we had known our pastor Pete James was going to retire in 2021, it was a year ago that he announced it would be the end of February. And it was also about a year ago that my husband Stuart was diagnosed with cancer. And of course you and I know so many others who have been struggling with cancer, other illnesses, and injuries. Still others are grieving the death of a loved one, a broken relationship, or some other crisis. Storms come to us all in many and varied forms.
I find the repeated refrain of the psalm very powerful: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress.” I can attest to the truth that God has been faithful in answering the prayers of our family and the prayers of so many others for our family. My husband Stuart is still undergoing treatment, but we have been buoyed and lifted by the faithful prayers of so many and seen God using them in our lives. I know that is true for others as well.
We as a congregation have been waiting and praying in the midst of a long transition. God has been faithful to answer our prayers. This past Sunday was a joyous opportunity to gather to celebrate God’s faithfulness to us and to welcome our new lead pastor Hope Lee and her family. This is a time to rejoice because “The Lord has brought us to our desired haven.” God has been faithful to bring us a new leader, and we are beginning an exciting new chapter in the life of our church.
While there is still more transition ahead, it’s important to pause and give thanks for what God has done and for where we are right now. The invitation in Psalm 107:31-32 is one for all of us –individually and as a congregation: “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.”
Let us continue to gather for worship to give honor, praise, and thanks to God—for his goodness and faithfulness in our lives for all he has done for us in Christ and for all he continues to do as he builds his kingdom here at VPC. Let us continue to pray for Pastor Hope, our staff, our session, and all of us as a congregation as God leads us forward to the good and hopeful future that he has for us.
