It was a dark and stormy night

Seriously, I thought these words were immortalized by Charles Shultz with
his famous cartoon character "Snoopy". Often Snoopy would be shown sitting
in front of a typewriter typing those words. Needless to say, I was somewhat
surprised when I just began a new SiFi novel (new to me) written back in
1962. The first words on the first page were, "It was a dark and stormy
night" (From: "A wrinkle in time").

As I read those words, my mind flashed back to the night in the New
Testament when a few men were making their way across the Sea of Galilee on
a dark and stormy night. Have you ever experienced one of those nights? The
ones that seem to bring total darkness, that leave you feeling totally
alone, that cause you to feel like no one in this world cares?

Those disciples felt that way, but what they forgot was that Jesus was right
there with them all of the time. Notice the story in Matthew 8:23-27, "Then
Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.
Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Lord,
save us! We're going to drown!" Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You
have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and
suddenly all was calm. The disciples were amazed. "Who is this man?" they
asked. "Even the winds and waves obey him!"

Have you ever forgotten that Jesus was right there in the boat with you on
your "dark and stormy night"? Or like these men, failed to realize his power
or who he really was? After Jesus stilled the storm these men ask, "Who is
this man?" they still didn't get it, they still didn't understand. What
about you?

When you are in the middle of your personal storm, to who to you cry out? Do
you call your parents, or your friends, or your work mates, or your school
mates? Why is it that far too often we don't think to call out to the one
who can still the storm until we have no where else to go, rather than
calling on him first?

Russ Lawson