Weathering the Storm

Finally we got a sunny day after more than a week of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain! Riding can sometimes be a challenge when you live in a state that can experience all 4 seasons in the span of just a week or 2. Today was sunny and beautiful and even though the ground was saturated where I get in and out of my building I was not about to let that stop me. It was long past time for another ride.

Most of the time when I ride in December I don’t see many others riding, but that was definitely not the case today. It seemed I saw riders on every road I took just confirming the fact it was a perfect day to ride. This time last week we were experiencing winter at its worst with snow, ice, and freezing rain which caused wide spread power outages. It’s the day we were supposed to go see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra but fortunately they rescheduled to Tuesday and we were still able to go see them.

As I rode along the main roads and side roads today I noticed several very large trees down which I’m sure contributed to the power outages last week. In looking at the trees that came down, most looked very healthy at first glance and I wondered why they were not able to weather the storm. It’s possible some of them were diseased on the inside or maybe their roots just weren’t as firmly planted as they needed to be to hold them up under the circumstances.

The longer I rode I realized we can compare ourselves to those trees. Sin can be an internal “disease” that can cause us to fall. Likewise if we don’t have our roots firmly planted in Christ, we too can find ourselves collapsing under the storms of life. That’s not to say that simply because we are followers of Christ, we won’t have trials and storms that can “knock us down.” What it does mean is that He will help us weather those storms in a way we couldn’t without Him, if we are trusting in Him. I don’t know about you, but I know I cannot do this life on my own. I’m not strong enough on my own, just like those trees that came down last weekend. I depend on Him to get me through and pray that my roots are planted firmly in His word.

I’ve been reading the book of Luke as Christmas approaches and in Luke 8 is the parable of the seeds. Some seeds fell by the wayside, some fell on rocks, others in thorns, and some fell on good ground. Only those that fell on the good ground made it.

Luke 8:11-15
¹¹ “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³ But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.¹⁵ But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”

Also in Luke 8 we see Jesus in the boat with His disciples when a storm approached. The storm was rocking the boat and the disciples were afraid and woke Jesus up from a nap. He immediately rebuked the wind and raging water calming the storm. He then asked them, “Where is your faith?”

Where is our faith? My faith is in Him and as Christmas approaches I am in awe of how a tiny baby came to save the world so many years ago. He came as a helpless child born in a manger and that is the only reason for the season. It’s not about gifts or lights or all of the parties and gatherings. It’s simply about celebrating the birth of our Savior.

If I don’t write again before Christmas, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and are able to take a moment to truly focus on this tiny baby in the manger and can trust in Him to help weather life’s storms that are sure to come.