Recently, my wife and I were invited to join our friends on their boat for a ride on the Hudson River. The weather was perfect; the sun was shining, and puffy white clouds were high above. Our friends took us to Croton Point Beach to swim and relax. That evening, we enjoyed watching the sunset before heading to a restaurant on the water for dinner.
It was almost nine at night by the time we docked and got a table at the restaurant. In a matter of minutes, the wind picked up, and it started to rain. At first the rain was light so we didn’t think much of it, but soon it began to pour. Mike, our friend and captain of the boat, was surprised by the change of the weather and announced it wasn’t safe to drive the boat until the storm passed.
As the storm lingered, we continued to wait, but the conditions remained unsafe. Finally, we decided to leave the restaurant and head back to the boat where we would wait out the storm. It wasn’t until three the following morning that we were able to ride the boat safely back to the marina to dock.
When on the boat waiting for the storm to pass, I was reminded of the “storms” we go through in life. When the unexpected happens, and we get caught in a “storm”, we must pray, be patient and persevere. Prayer is our source of strength, courage and peace. Yes, at times our patience may be tested, but we must continue to pray and stay calm. If we can persevere, the joy and peace of the Lord will be ours. As we learned that night on the boat, storms eventually calm down.
Lord, be with us as we face life’s storms; help us to call out to You, and be patient and preserve.
