May 28: THE STRENGTH TO KEEP GOING

 Theme: God’s power in your weakness.

Karen Lazzari
Bodden Town SDA Church

Scripture Focus: Psalms 91:10-16

“No harm will overtake you; no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” 

On November 7th, 2008, my family and I went to bed praying for safety from the uncertain path of an approaching hurricane named Paloma.

As I prayed that night, I symbolically placed the Lamb’s blood on my doorposts, a sign that represented God’s love and protection for His faithful people during the time of the Israelites' bondage in Egypt.

In Exodus 12:23, the Bible says, “For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door, and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.”

By early morning, we were experiencing hurricane-force winds on the island of Cayman Brac. My husband and I woke up the children and set up a sofa in what seemed to be the most protected area of our home. There, we sat together to talk and pray for safety.

During the dark hours of the morning, we could hear the sound of sand and objects striking against the shutters. After the storm passed and we could safely go outside, our blessings became evident as we were able to see the severe damage caused throughout our island. There were downed electrical poles and wires, as well as damage to many homes. Everything looked so desolate.

Although we lost some shingles from the roof, we were able to remain in our home and also helped shelter others. Psalms 34:6 says, “Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord.”

Though the problems caused by Paloma at first seemed insurmountable. Yet, we were able to see blessings and deliverance from God one after another. This became even more evident when God miraculously protected a calf, whose mother had died and whom we had been keeping by our home to nourish it until she was older. My husband had tied the calf between three coconut trees for safety. During the storm, the trees had fallen, yet the calf was found standing in the middle of them unharmed. By this, I was reminded of Psalms 91:10-16, which says, “No harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

And if that was not proof enough, we received a call from a church brother in Grand Cayman asking how he could help. My husband told him we could use a generator. A few days later, it arrived on the barge filled with fuel, along with a 40-gallon tank of fuel and oil. This was greatly needed and appreciated, as we were without electricity for about 6 weeks. We were doubly blessed with two additional generators from other family members, which we shared with those in need. It seemed that the Spirit of God was at work in the hearts of everyone, prompting them to show kindness by offering assistance.

Through this testimony, I wish to remind you that when the storms of life present themselves like Hurricane Paloma, I encourage you to find hope and assurance by:

• Crying out to God - He hears, and he saves (Matt 8:23-27
• Trust God, for he is with you.
• Believe that He is able, and he will deliver you.
• Weather the storm in Christ - wait for the calm; He will bring peace to your storm.

As Jesus performed the miracle of calming the sea, I realize that He is still performing miraculous deliveries in our lives today. He can bring blessings out of bad experiences in our lives and leave us stronger spiritually. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Prayer:

Dear Father, 

Thank you for loving us so much that you are concerned about the smallest details of our lives. Thank you, God, that you will always meet all our needs according to your glorious riches in Christ. We have seen in your words how you use different means to reach out and help us, whether it’s by sending the ravens to feed Elijah or by touching the hearts of others to show kindness. May we be constantly reminded of your power, so that when we face storms in our lives, we too can call out to you, our Creator and Redeemer, who is in control of the Universe, to calm our storms. Amen.