“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.” (Psalm 57:1, ESV)
What do setbacks and accidents and unanticipated crises do to you?
“Thomas Edison invented the microphone, the phonograph, the incandescent light, the storage battery, talking movies, and more than 1000 other things. December 1914 he had worked for 10 years on a storage battery. This had greatly strained his finances. This particular evening spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames. Fire companies from eight surrounding towns arrived, but the heat was so intense and the water pressure so low that the attempt to douse the flames was futile. Everything was destroyed. Edison was 67. With all his assets going up in a whoosh (although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof), would his spirit be broken?
The inventor’s 24-year old son, Charles, searched frantically for his father. He finally found him, calmly watching the fire, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind. “My heart ached for him,” said Charles. “He was 67—no longer a young man—and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, ‘Charles, where’s your mother?’ When I told him I didn’t know, he said, ‘Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives.’“ The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”
Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first phonograph.”
(Chuck Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick, pp. 82-83 and “Bits and Pieces”, November, 1989, p. 12)
When unanticipated calamities, accidents, setbacks, problems, or crises occur, it can take a toll on every part of you. Your body might experience panic attacks. Your leg might twitch nervously. You might wring you hands or get a tic. You might feel nauseated from the shock to your mind and heart and soul. Things might look bleak or overwhelming. Your world may feel like it has turned upside down. You might feel like you are on a rollercoaster ride. All in all, it will be a difficult time. Most accidents and other unanticipated crises come completely out of the blue. Initially, you may be unprepared to deal effectively with the onslaught of issues and emotions. If you handle things poorly, your life may unravel. If you can keep a strong connection with God, you just might find that these unanticipated calamities will teach you important truths and strengthen your soul. They can bring you closer to God. They can make you a better person, a more caring individual, and a steady rock in uncertain times. Like Thomas Edison after the fire, there might be a lot of good that comes out of that calamity if you take the time to see what God sees.
It is believed that when David wrote Psalm 57, he was hiding in a cave. King Saul had attempted to murder David out of jealousy and envy. David had to flee. He had to leave behind most of his worldly belongings, only able to keep what he could carry on his back to safety. There in the cave, alone and in danger, he began writing Psalm 57 with the words chosen for today. He penned, “… in the shadow of your [God’s] wings I take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalm 57:1b). David could not fix his relationship with Saul. He could not fight the king’s powers. He did not have time to reach out for help or usher some support. He was on his own, alone and powerless…. except for his God. David knew God was with him. David knew God would help. In the cave, David didn’t fall apart. He did not give up. He sat with God “until the storms of destruction” would pass him by. He waited patiently, praying to God until deliverance came his way. And, God came through. In the days ahead, Saul was humbled by David’s actions. In the months following, David gained followers and trained new soldiers. In the resulting years, what David did during this period of his life brought God closer. The dangers helped David to see the value in a strong relationship with God. Material possessions mattered less to David. Friendships and trust and a love with God proved vital to overcome the worst the world could throw at him.
There may come a time when all you may be left with are the clothes on your back. If you have a house fire, you may lose almost everything you own. An accident may take the life of a loved one. You may find yourself alone. You might feel abandoned or in danger. You might lose your job due to budget cutbacks. Despite whatever calamity may strike, you are ultimately never alone. God is waiting in the quiet places of your life, waiting to hear your prayer, working behind the scenes on your behalf. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Throw yourself on the mercy of God and just hold on. The storms of destruction will pass by and God will take care of where you end up.
When your life turns upside down, despite all the shock and trauma involved, God does not leave you without comfort. God knows exactly where you are, and God is exactly who you need.
“Thomas Edison invented the microphone, the phonograph, the incandescent light, the storage battery, talking movies, and more than 1000 other things. December 1914 he had worked for 10 years on a storage battery. This had greatly strained his finances. This particular evening spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames. Fire companies from eight surrounding towns arrived, but the heat was so intense and the water pressure so low that the attempt to douse the flames was futile. Everything was destroyed. Edison was 67. With all his assets going up in a whoosh (although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof), would his spirit be broken?
The inventor’s 24-year old son, Charles, searched frantically for his father. He finally found him, calmly watching the fire, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind. “My heart ached for him,” said Charles. “He was 67—no longer a young man—and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, ‘Charles, where’s your mother?’ When I told him I didn’t know, he said, ‘Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives.’“ The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”
Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first phonograph.”
(Chuck Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick, pp. 82-83 and “Bits and Pieces”, November, 1989, p. 12)
When unanticipated calamities, accidents, setbacks, problems, or crises occur, it can take a toll on every part of you. Your body might experience panic attacks. Your leg might twitch nervously. You might wring you hands or get a tic. You might feel nauseated from the shock to your mind and heart and soul. Things might look bleak or overwhelming. Your world may feel like it has turned upside down. You might feel like you are on a rollercoaster ride. All in all, it will be a difficult time. Most accidents and other unanticipated crises come completely out of the blue. Initially, you may be unprepared to deal effectively with the onslaught of issues and emotions. If you handle things poorly, your life may unravel. If you can keep a strong connection with God, you just might find that these unanticipated calamities will teach you important truths and strengthen your soul. They can bring you closer to God. They can make you a better person, a more caring individual, and a steady rock in uncertain times. Like Thomas Edison after the fire, there might be a lot of good that comes out of that calamity if you take the time to see what God sees.
It is believed that when David wrote Psalm 57, he was hiding in a cave. King Saul had attempted to murder David out of jealousy and envy. David had to flee. He had to leave behind most of his worldly belongings, only able to keep what he could carry on his back to safety. There in the cave, alone and in danger, he began writing Psalm 57 with the words chosen for today. He penned, “… in the shadow of your [God’s] wings I take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalm 57:1b). David could not fix his relationship with Saul. He could not fight the king’s powers. He did not have time to reach out for help or usher some support. He was on his own, alone and powerless…. except for his God. David knew God was with him. David knew God would help. In the cave, David didn’t fall apart. He did not give up. He sat with God “until the storms of destruction” would pass him by. He waited patiently, praying to God until deliverance came his way. And, God came through. In the days ahead, Saul was humbled by David’s actions. In the months following, David gained followers and trained new soldiers. In the resulting years, what David did during this period of his life brought God closer. The dangers helped David to see the value in a strong relationship with God. Material possessions mattered less to David. Friendships and trust and a love with God proved vital to overcome the worst the world could throw at him.
There may come a time when all you may be left with are the clothes on your back. If you have a house fire, you may lose almost everything you own. An accident may take the life of a loved one. You may find yourself alone. You might feel abandoned or in danger. You might lose your job due to budget cutbacks. Despite whatever calamity may strike, you are ultimately never alone. God is waiting in the quiet places of your life, waiting to hear your prayer, working behind the scenes on your behalf. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Throw yourself on the mercy of God and just hold on. The storms of destruction will pass by and God will take care of where you end up.
When your life turns upside down, despite all the shock and trauma involved, God does not leave you without comfort. God knows exactly where you are, and God is exactly who you need.