Sunday, October 11, 2026From the news

Refuge in the Roaring Storm

As Hurricane Isaias brings devastation and loss, Scripture reminds us that God is our ever-present refuge and strength, offering comfort amid the chaos.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (NIV)

Psalm 46:1-3

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (NIV)

Isaiah 43:2

He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!' (NIV)

Matthew 8:26-27

Dear friend, as I read about Hurricane Isaias cutting through the Southeast, my heart aches for those touched by its fury. Four lives lost—two in Florida's Escambia County alone. A grieving husband, Joey Williams, sharing how a tree crashed through his roof just after they stepped out to survey the damage; he escaped, but his wife did not. Another man taken by carbon monoxide from a generator in a closed garage, with others rushed to the hospital. Trees felled, houses damaged, thousands without power, vehicles submerged in floodwaters, rescues by the National Guard swimming through ditches. States of emergency in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia; mandatory evacuations; Governor DeSantis warning of ongoing flooding risks. It's a heavy picture, isn't it? The suddenness of it all, the helplessness in the face of roaring winds and rising waters. We feel the weight of such stories, especially if we've known our own storms.

In moments like these, let's turn to the unchanging Word of God, where we find a gentle anchor for our souls. Psalm 46 paints a vivid scene: 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.' Imagine that family in Escambia County, the roof giving way under a tree's weight, floodwaters trapping vehicles—yet here the psalmist declares God's presence right in the quake and roar. Not a distant God, but our refuge, our strength, ever-present. Take heart, beloved; the same God who holds the mountains holds you.

The prophet Isaiah echoes this reassurance, speaking directly to our passage through peril: 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.' Notice the promise isn't avoidance—no one sidesteps every storm—but companionship. For Joey Williams squeezing out from under that fallen tree, for the National Guard soldiers swimming to save lives, for families now without power and facing flooded homes, God whispers, 'I am with you.' The rivers may rise, as they did with Isaias, but they will not sweep over those who trust in Him. Let us remember this in our own trials, whether literal storms or the tempests of life that leave us feeling trapped and alone.

And oh, what comfort we draw from Jesus Himself, the master of the storm. In Matthew 8, as His disciples panicked in a furious squall on the sea, He rose and rebuked the winds and waves: 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' And there was a great calm. The disciples marveled—even the winds and waves obey Him. Friend, Hurricane Isaias may rage beyond our control, felling trees and claiming lives, but Jesus speaks peace into chaos. He invites us to bring our fears to Him, to rest in faith rather than falter in fright. Through His death and resurrection, He has secured our ultimate refuge, where no storm can touch our eternal hope.

These Scriptures aren't distant poetry; they're God's living breath for today. In the aftermath of Isaias, as crews clear debris and families rebuild, let them illuminate your steps. If you're among those without power, feeling vulnerable in the dark, know God's light pierces every shadow. If loss has touched you, as it has Joey Williams and others, let the God of all comfort draw near. Practical discipleship means clinging to Jesus daily—perhaps starting your morning with these verses, praying them over your home, sharing them with a neighbor in need. Reach out to those affected; a call, a meal, a word of hope embodies Christ's love.

Our faith in Jesus isn't a shield from every hurt, but a steadfast presence through it all. Grace abounds in the storm; His mercy meets us in the flood. As you face whatever winds blow your way, rest in this: the One who calmed the Galilee can calm your heart. You're not alone; He's your refuge today.