Connections by First Southern Baptist Church

October 6, 2024

“But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”

~ Job 23:8-12 (NIV) ~

HURRICANES, HOPE,AND HELP

It seems that they always come with a name quite often with a very personal name.

Hurricanes, for example, come with personal first names. Each year begins a new trip or two through the letters of the alphabet in naming them. This year we have just been introduced to the letter “H” in a dramatic way. Yes, hurricanes come with personal names and Helene certainly has wreaked personal havoc in untold millions of lives a couple of weeks ago.

Sometimes they come with the names of places where we live, along with dates. History will now record forever “The Mexico City Earthquake of 2017.”

Sometimes they come with descriptive names the are frightening along with dates, such as “The Great Depression of 1930.” Some of you reading this remember those dark days. Most all of us remember vividly “The 2007 Depression.”

Often, it’s just the name of the location that tells the story: “The Granite Mountain Hotshots” or “The Goodwin Fire.”

Other storms are identified in very personal terms. Every cancer has a different name, location in the body and severity of damage but ultimately, it is the cancer in your body.

The storms come with the personal names of family members attached. The name of a spouse in a divorce court. The name of a parent, spouse or child as you sit at the mortuary making final arrangements.

with Pastor Terrell

They come with the names of locations where personal havoc has been wreaked: foreclosure on your home or a pink-slip from your place of employment. Maybe it is the court with the name “Bankruptcy” on the door and your name on the docket.

The storms come and they just keep on coming. We find ourselves crying out: GOD WHEREARE YOU INALL OF THIS?” Is God causing all of this? Why does He not stop it? Does He just not care? Has He stopped loving us?

In the Old Testament, Job found himself crying out those very thoughts to God.As far as Job could tell, God was not to be found anywhere. In his mind, he was utterly alone in the storms of his life and that was not a pleasant condition. However, Job held on firmly to three truths.

One was the belief that God was not punishing him through the storms. Job was not somehow having to make atonement for his sins.

Second, Job did not believe that God was tempting him to sin. Satan certainly was, but not God. God does not tempt us to sin. That is just not to be found in His perfect nature.

Later Job tells us: “It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.”

~ Job 34:12 (NIV) ~

Thirdly, Job held on to the truth that God was indeed testing him and that the test had an intended outcome. Through the testing of the storm, he would come forth as gold. Job came to see that God was using the storms as a refining process in his life. The dross the impurities was being removed so that the purity of God could shine through.

Whatever the storms that you are facing now or will face later in your personal or family life. Whatever the trials we may face together as a church family, please cling to these truths. God is not absent in the storms He is always omnipresent. He is not impotent in the storms He is always omnipotent. He is not unsure what tomorrow will bring in your life He is already there He is eternal, and He invites you into His eternal perspective.

How do you do that? The same way that Job did. You treasure His words more than anything else in your life even more than your daily bread. When you face your storms, and when as a church, we face our storms treasuring His words holding on tight to them we will all come forth as pure gold. We will be more valuable to His purposes than ever before.

Blessings on your week as you remember that you’re never alone in the storm! I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship as I continue in my sermon series “URGENT.” This Sunday I will share on The Urgency of Influence.

Pastor Terrell

P.S. Please be in prayer for the victims of Hurricane Helene in Georgia and the Carolina’s. Be assured that our Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Teams are on the ground right now.