“Till the Storm Passes By” – Monday Musical Musings

September 16th, 2013 dsisler

Dear friends, thank you for reading all my posts about the trouble Colorado is experiencing during the recent floods. Unfortunately, we have much to clean up and rebuild. Some predict it will take a year to regain access to some of the mountain communities. It is stormy here and I’m not just talking about the weather.

 

I recall singing this hymn through my youth and young adulthood. At that time, I couldn’t have imagined what storms I’d be facing through my life. But looking back, I’ve faced some difficult storms. Death, health issues, rebellion, and divorce just to name a few.

 

But through all of the storms in my life, I always knew I could depend on One to guide me through those storms. Without God’s Holy Spirit leading and guidance, I would have become lost in the turmoil. Without the gentle comfort, I would have been discouraged. Without the prompting I would have continued in my rebellion.

 

Even in these dark days we’ve passed through, there is great hope. There are many opportunities to share that hope with those we come in contact with. With God’s help, we will be safe until the storm passes by.

 

So here are the words and link to the hymn, “Till the Storm Passes By.” Perhaps you aren’t going through major flooding as we are today, but a storm of another type. If that’s the case, hold on to these words. Allow God to keep you safe until it’s over. Then you’ll be able to praise Him on the other side.

 

“Till the Storm Passes By”

 

In the dark of the midnight,
Have I oft hid my face;
While the storm howls above me,
And there’s no hiding place;
‘Mid the crash of the thunder,
Precious Lord, hear my cry;
“Keep me safe ’til the storm passes by.”

‘Til the storm passes over,
‘Til the thunder sounds no more;
‘Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,
Hold me fast, let me stand,
In the hollow of Thy hand;
Keep me safe ’til the storm passes by.

Many times Satan whispers,
“There is no need to try;
For there’s no end of sorrow,
There’s no hope by and by”;
But I know Thou art with me,
And tomorrow I’ll rise;
Where the storms never darken the skies.

‘Til the storm passes over,
‘Til the thunder sounds no more;
‘Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,
Hold me fast, let me stand,
In the hollow of Thy hand;
Keep me safe ’til the storm passes by.

When the long night has ended,
And the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence.
On that bright, peaceful shore.
In that land where the tempest
Never comes, Lord may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.

‘Til the storm passes over,
‘Til the thunder sounds no more;
‘Til the clouds roll forever from the sky,
Hold me fast, let me stand,
In the hollow of Thy hand;
Keep me safe ’til the storm passes by.[i]

Click here to listen to the Gaither Homecoming version of this hymn.

 

I heard an interview with Governor Hickenlooper this morning. He said, “We have bridges that are broken, but the Colorado spirit will never break.” I know this Colorado spirit cannot be broken, but it’s not because I’m a Coloradan. It’s because I’m a Christian. I will make it until the storm passes by.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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[i] “Till the Storm Passes By,” Mosie Lister, 1958.

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Give it to God

September 15th, 2013 dsisler

Today is a special day for a couple of reasons. We will be gathering with our church family to pray for those affected by the floods here in Colorado. Every portion of this morning’s service has been changed, but the fact that those of us who are able to gather will be together. We will worship God for who He is and for what He has done. We will honor Him in this way…because that’s what we do.

 

Today is also my wedding anniversary. We’ve been married 12 years and if you do the math, you realize that we were married four days after 9/11. Today I feel some of the same emotions that I did all those years ago. Lives have been lost this week. Homes and families have been torn apart. Many are still stranded. Many are still missing. I don’t feel much like celebrating.

 

What I can do today is cling to Jesus, for it’s only through Him that I can make it through yet another storm. I’ve chosen a post that may help with anxiety that comes when we face storms. I pray that these words will be of help if you face a storm today.

 

Please keep my family and my Colorado friends in your prayers today. It’s raining again.

 

Do Not Be Anxious

 

It doesn’t happen very often, but I received three phone calls from our city telling us that we were under a tornado warning. I guess it’s just natural to feel a bit anxious under these circumstances. But there were several reasons last night that sent me that direction.

 

First of all, Mason was working a night shift. Then there was the fact that Candace was still out working. And last but not least, Joy, our granddaughter was spending the night. I stayed by the television as long as I possibly could to see where these storms were headed and if, in fact, we were in any danger.

 

Several years ago, we were placed under a tornado warning and spent some time in the basement. Driving through the area where the tornado touched down was disturbing. The path was pretty defined. The damage was more severe in some areas than others. Destruction was evident.

 

I don’t like feeling anxious. I tend to become very warm, sweat much more than normal, and my heart races. After the anxiousness has subsided, I feel depleted.

 

Obviously in the situation of immediate danger, being anxious is normal and natural. Anxiousness can be a difficult issue for some. But for most people of our world, we do tend to overdo the anxiousness. Sometimes we are anxious for reasons that do not merit these feelings.

 

Proverbs reminds us that “an anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” (Proverbs 12:25 – NIV) Anxiety can cause us to feel unnecessarily burdened.

 

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” It may be difficult to act in this way, but we are told to face difficulty in this manner.

 

So what are we to do with our anxieties? 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) says to, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Give it to God. Give it completely, totally, without any hesitation, to God.

 

We are to trust God with all of our cares. Nahum shares these words, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7 – NIV)

 

And if we jump back to Philippians 4:7 (NIV), Paul tells us what we will receive when we trust and give God our anxiety. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” God’s peace will cover us and we won’t even be able to understand why we are at peace in tough situations.

 

The storms passed. We were unharmed. There was no reason to be nervous or anxious. For that I am thankful. I guess the real lesson in all of this is to listen to the experts. Understand what they are saying and then take appropriate action. It’s better to be safe than sorry in this situation.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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Unnamed Saints

September 14th, 2013 dsisler

About a month ago, I started reading through the Epistles. I’m only reading two chapters per day so that I can really think about the words spoken to these churches. Right now, I’m in 2 Corinthians.

 

Two verses stopped me in my tracks today. 2 Corinthians 8:18-19 (NIV). “And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.”

 

Paul never mentions this servant of Christ by name. Apparently there was no need. This person was known among the churches for what he was doing and therefore needed no mention.

 

And then if that were not enough, Paul goes on to continue discussion of the traveling troupe. “In addition, we are sending with them (Titus and the unnamed servant of Christ above) our brother who has often roved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you.” (2 Corinthians 8:21 – NIV)

 

A zealous brother in Christ would be stopping by as well. But again, this no-named servant was given great praise, but not specifically called by name.

 

These two men were well known. Perhaps these little clues were all that the Corinthians believers needed to know.

 

However, do you suppose there was discussion among the Corinthian church as to who this person might be? Surely there were more than just two who fit these descriptions.

 

The obvious might be Barnabas. He was known for his encouragement of others. He was a partner with the apostle Paul. He was also known for his travel. Maybe it was Barnabas.

 

Or maybe it was Paul’s friend and companion Luke. Luke traveled with Paul to gather information for the Book of Acts. Luke was present for many miraculous acts and numerous messages shared by Paul. Imagine the stories that could have been told by Luke (oh wait, we have a 28-chapter book with much of this information).

 

We know it wasn’t Titus, he is mentioned in this passage.

 

If we look back to Acts 20:4 (NIV), we read who were traveling with Paul to take the offering gathered from the churches to Judea. I would say these two men are mentioned here.

 

“He (Paul) was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychius and Trophimus from the province of Asia.”

 

These are virtually unknown men to us, but apparently they were great leaders of the early church. These were the men who made things happen in the first century. They loved Jesus. They served Him faithfully. They were generous. They were men of integrity. They were willing to go into harm’s way. They were leaders.

 

And these men were also humble. Humble enough that their names were not mentioned in the Corinthian letter.

 

What are you known for? When others speak of you, do they need to mention your name or would they know you by your characteristics? Are you a person on integrity? Do you serve faithfully? Are you a generous giver? Are you humble?

 

I would love for my name to be missing from my tombstone and these words written instead. “She was praised by all the churches for her service to the gospel.” And when these words were read that they would know exactly who was buried there.

 

I believe this could only be achieved by offering my entire life to God for His use. Giving unselfishly of myself for the Kingdom’s cause. Allowing God to work through me to do His will. Then maybe, it might be possible.

 

Perhaps we will never know who these saints were until we meet them face to face in heaven. These are just two more I’ll have to add to my list to visit with in eternity. I cannot wait!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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Forget an Ark

September 13th, 2013 dsisler

For those of you not experiencing the Colorado flooding, I’m sure you’ve seen pictures and video of the devastation here in Colorado. It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There is a massive amount of water everywhere. Roads are blocked due to water running over the roads. Destruction of property and loss of life has once again hit this beautiful state I call home.

 

Our local schools were closed yesterday and today due to the flooding, so we had the option of going into the church office or not. I went. I needed to make sure my new church family could depend upon me in time of trouble. It was good, but I soon found out that there wasn’t much to do, so I went home.

 

It’s what I encountered going home that hit me. There is a little creek between my house and the church and in those short three hours, it had become a raging river that overflowed its banks and flooded the entire area as far as the eye could see. As I drove a bit further, the water was flowing over the road, and I had to turn back.

 

I had to figure my best route by where rivers were. And since I hadn’t really paid attention to said rivers, it became more difficult than I thought. There were roads I traveled where debris covered the road. Clearly, at one point water had flowed over these roadways. I must admit, by the time I arrived home an hour later, I was thankful for the safety on my journey.

 

Our house is high enough that we should be fine, but I have several friends in the nearby town of Longmont whose homes are threatened or already affected.

 

My pastor and the man I am blessed to call “boss” wrote a beautiful email to our church family and I’d like to share a portion of it with you.

 

“This is our opportunity to be the church where we live. Although it isn’t safe to all load up and drive around town offering our help, we can walk across the street to help a neighbor. If you live in an area that has been affected, this is your opportunity to get to know and care about your neighbors.

 

It is amazing how much the message from last weekend and this weekend applies to what is going on in our community right now. Let’s get out there and live it in our neighborhoods over the next days and weeks!” (Shan Moyers, Lead Pastor, Rocky Mountain Christian Church)

 

This is the perfect opportunity for us to be Christ’s Church in our communities. As we are out there among our neighbors and friends, we can share God’s message of hope with those who are so affected by these floods. We can be Jesus’ hands as we help others up from a difficult situation. And here’s the thing. This is what we are supposed to be all the time!

 

Jesus spoke these words to a group of people on a hillside over 2,000 years ago. They are a message for us as well. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 – NIV)

 

This is what we are about. Glorifying God by what we do here on earth. I pray that today you will find someone who you can be a light to. It doesn’t have to be in this flooded area of Colorado. It can be in your own neighborhood in your own community. Maybe you can ask God to show you who you can help today.

 

Yes, let’s get out there and live it in our neighborhoods!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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Another Day…More Rain

September 12th, 2013 dsisler

I have to talk about rain again. It’s still raining here and yesterday we had down pours throughout the day. It was difficult to believe I lived in Colorado.

 

But last night on my way home from Bible study, the weather service issued a flash flood warning for my town. Now it wasn’t the only town, but I was surprised that they mentioned my community.

 

The nearest river or tributary is 5 miles to the north and west and 7 miles to the east. I cannot think of any to the south. So I was a little surprised by the warning.

 

The flash flood warning was extended a short time later and I again wondered where a flash flood would come from.

 

Then a thought hit me. My husband Mason was at work and he was on the other side of the river. It was then I became concerned that a flood might impact my life. What if the river were too high for him to cross? Would there be another way for him to get home?

 

Suddenly there was a barrier between us that neither of us had any control over.

 

I thought of the Hebrew Nation who was told by God to cross two bodies of water. Once to escape the bondage of Egypt. And once to enter into their promised land.

 

At the crossing of the Red Sea, this group feared what was before them and what was behind them. There was nothing the Israelites could have done except trust God. He would be the one to rescue them in that moment. And He did.

 

Forty years later, this same but different group of people crossed the Jordan River at flood stage. I’m sure it would have been frightening. But God had already gone before them and when He stopped the river’s flow, they were able to cross on dry land.

 

The difference at the Jordan Crossing was that the people had a choice. There were no Egyptian chariots chasing them into the river. They could have chosen to sit tight on the water’s bank. But they chose to follow God. They were ready to make Him their God. This was a giant step for the Israelites.

 

When we come to a point in our lives where a giant, rushing river is flowing before us, we have some choices to make.

 

Are we going to wait on the river bank for the enemy to attack?

 

Are we going to wait?

 

Are we going to step into the water and trust that God will protect and save us?

 

God had given the Israelites a promise before they crossed the Jordan. Listen to what He said. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 – NIV)

 

They had the promise. They knew the promise. They had lived the promise. God was before them. They could trust Him. They took that step of faith.

 

I believe we can hold to that same promise as we take our own steps in faith. God has gone before us.

 

And not only has God gone before us, but He has prepared the way. “Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.” (Psalm 85:13 – NIV)

 

God told Joshua over and over not to be afraid. To be strong and courageous. There are times in our lives when we have to hold on to those words. We are to be strong and courageous people of God.

 

But we are to be strong and courageous in God. Our strength and courage must come from Him. He must be given the glory for the outcome of the battle.

 

Mason made it home last night, but the flash flood warning has been extended until later this morning. I don’t think we’re out of the woods yet! But I know I can face today with God’s courage and strength and because of that, I can cross those spiritual flood-stage rivers. Will you join me?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

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