Desired Haven

What if you were one of Jesus’ disciples in the stormy sea when Jesus calmed the water by saying three words: “Peace, be still”? You would probably breathe a sigh of relief. Calm would probably engulf your body making your grip loosen, and your shoulders relax, and your muscles unwind. Spa time!

King David also wrote about this same scenario and the same feeling. I think that though we are not fisherwomen out on the stormy sea, we all have those moments when all we want is a little calm.

Psalm 107:23-31

Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great 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 evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Those words really struck my heart as I read them this past week. I remember crying out to the Lord in my trouble and distress. I remember telling God that I felt like I was in a rushing river going toward the waterfall and all I could think of was just for God to let me pass a branch I could grab and hold onto before I went over the edge. I know that is a run on sentence but go back and read it as fast as you can and that is how I felt.

I know that I’m not the only one who has felt the storm of life.  You may have had this life hurricane and reeled and staggered your way at your wit’s end just trying to make it through the day. It’s in those times you and I cried to the Lord, “Give me a branch! Give me a branch!”

But our Lord God is greater than the storm. He doesn’t give a branch. He stops the tempest. We realize that He has delivered us to a safe harbor or our desired haven.

Our Deliverer has taken us into the middle of His love for us.

Let us always be thankful for His steadfast love in the storm and in the safe harbor.

He will deliver us to our desired haven…His arms.