He is Lord Over the Storm: Devastation and Hope

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Thursday, August 24th, 2017, was an epic day for me. I was moving into my very first place all by myself. For years I had lived with either my parents or roommates and now I was finally on my own. I took months deciding on a color scheme, picking out towels, figuring out how I was going to arrange my furniture and then re-arranging how I was going to arrange my furniture. I had planned a house warming for the following Saturday and I just couldn’t wait to show off all of my beautiful new things in my beautiful new home.

On August 25th, the very next day, Hurricane Harvey hit Houston.

I was faring well in my new place and things still seemed to be in the clear by that Sunday night. Yes, it had rained a lot, but thankfully my area wasn’t flooded at all. I went to sleep Sunday night in my new bedding in my new room wondering how the commute to work would be the next morning as it was my first time to drive it from this location. All was normal and well.

That next morning, just a mere 4 days after moving in, I woke up and looked out my bedroom window and froze. My car was halfway under water. The entire area surrounding my apartment was flooded. I walked outside and the water was already over the sidewalk. Lap by lap it inched its way closer to my brand new place full of all of my brand new things.

A few hours later there was a foot of water in my apartment.

An hour after that I was stranded on the 2nd floor landing as the water was up to my knees downstairs.

A few hours after that I was rescued by a friend on a wave runner with only a few clothes that would fit in a backpack. The water was up to my chest.

At the end of the day, the water rose almost 8 feet inside of my apartment. All of my earthly possessions were gone. I cried and sobbed and fell on my knees before the Lord in frustration and asked him why did he let this happen? What was his plan?

I was almost immediately silenced by the comfort and love of our heavenly father. There was a still small voice that was reminding me that he was still there. There was one thing that could not be taken from me: his unfailing mercy and love that he freely gives me even though I don’t deserve it. He has promised us over and over again in his Word that his plans are for our good. He will protect us and provide for us if we just put our faith in him and him alone.

My prayers then shifted to all of the things that God had ALREADY provided for me during this flood. I thanked him for sending a friend on a wave runner to rescue me when all hope seemed lost. I thanked him for my wonderful parents who took me back into their home and held me and comforted me while I mourned. I thanked him for my many friends who called and texted to check on me, tried to make me laugh to take my mind off of things, and cried with me when I needed it. God was already working for my good. He is faithful. He is good.

Since the flood, God’s blessings have continued to rain down on me through the generosity of friends, family, and even strangers. Every gift I have received and every helping hand that has been lent to me is God showing me through others that he is here and he is Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says,

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

If there’s one thing I learned from Hurricane Harvey it’s that you cannot find real security from your house or car or any other material things. All of those can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye. You can only find true security in Jesus Christ. He is Lord over the storm.

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