June 25, 2006am    From the Wail to the Waft.    Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 What’s your perspective?  It was just a few days before Christmas. Two men who were next-door neighbors decided to go sailing while their wives went Christmas shopping. While the men were out in their sailboat, a storm arose. The sea became very angry and the men had great difficulty keeping the boat under control. As they maneuvered their way toward land, they hit a sandbar and the boat grounded. Both men jumped overboard and began to push and shove with all their strength, trying to get the boat into deeper water. With his feet almost knee-deep in mud, and the waves bouncing him against the side of the boat, and his hair blowing wildly in the wind, one of the men said with a knowing grin, "It sure beats Christmas shopping, doesn't it?" --James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 86. 

  One night, while my young son, Ryan, was sleeping, a storm began brewing outside. After a loud clap of thunder, I heard Ryan wake up and run to find me. When I tucked him back into bed, he asked me to stay with him until he fell asleep.

   As I lay there with him, I realized Ryan hadn't asked me to make the storm go away, but to stay with him. How many times, I wondered, have I asked God to take away the storms of life, when instead, I need to ask Him to stay with me and help me weather the storms more peacefully!  -- Kim Sherer, Ponca City , OK .  Today's Christian Woman, "Heart to Heart."

   When a storm comes at sea, a ship turns to face the tempest. If the vessel allows the storm to hit its side, it will capsize. If it turns its back to the storm, the storm will drive it wherever the wind blows. Only in facing the storm is the ship safe.  -- Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997).

Is the Lord really good?  Does His love endure forever?  Should we give thank to the Lord at all times?  Why should we say so? 

Scripture Text:   Psalm 107 : ^1 Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good; his love endures forever. ^2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say this— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, ^3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. ^23 Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. ^24 They saw the works of the Lord , his wonderful deeds in the deep. ^25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. ^26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. ^27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits’ end. ^28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. ^29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. ^30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. ^31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. ^32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. ^[1]

Have you heard the Wail?

1.      Can you the redeemed say so?

2.  How do you feel?  Do you feel sick?   Do you feel dizzy?  Are you reeling from the effects of the storm?  If you feel loved by the Lord then you will say He loves me.  How do you feel? 

3. Hear the wail of the wind and the whine of the distressed.   You can hear the wail of the wind and the whine of the one who is in distress you can hear what is happening. 

4.      Remember the facts.  Remember the storm. 

Have you felt the Waft of the cool breeze blowing on your face following the storm?

a.  Have you been blessed?  If he has blessed you then you will say thank you.   How has the Lord blessed you?  How do you look at things? 

b.  Have you been saved?  Have you first been lost?  How do you know that He has been good to you?  Jesus came and died for you.  He has loved you and saved you.  

c.  Has the Lord brought you through the storm of life?  How has the Lord been good to you?  Who is the Lord to you?  That is what you say.  If he is good to you then will you say so?   

d.  He brings the storm to our lives to bring us to Him.  He tests us with the storm to see what we shall be. 

e.  The Wind blows.   The test has come and gone.  Up the waves and down the valleys our lives go.  Through the tempest the Lord tests his people.  We continue to invent new ways to avoid the storm, but the storm still comes.  Even when we know it is coming we aren’t prepared for the blast of the furnace or the depth of the flood. 

f.  The waft of the breeze cools the brow.  The cooing of the child of content is seen in the life of the believer.  My God is real for I can feel Him deep in my soul. The master of the sea is the master of life.  He calms the raging storms. 

g.  So, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. We have been bought.  We have been saved.  We have been set free.  We have been given life abundant.  Because we know that we are safe in his arms and care. 

   In the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew's devastation, as my grandson, Stephan-Nelson, was working night and day helping the survivors to get water and food, he noticed a sign on the roof of one house which read: "Okay, God. You've got our attention. Now what?"  I see storms of apocalyptic proportions on the horizon. God is beginning to get our attention. Now what?  -- Billy Graham in Storm Warning.  Christianity Today, Vol. 37, no. 5.  (Invite people to come forward to say so!)