The Roar of the Storm

And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me. The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest. With great force my garment is disfigured; it binds me about like the collar of my tunic. God has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes. I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me. You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me. You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it, and you toss me about in the roar of the storm. For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.
Job 30:16–23
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The Roar of the Storm
To say life is life a storm is a bit cliché, but it is nonetheless true.  Storms come up out of nowhere and wreak havoc, destroying and laying waste all in its path.  If caught in the path of a storm there is often little one can do except try and seek shelter. And even in a shelter the noise and chaos are frightening.  Life is often this way; it certainly is for Job. He feels not only abandoned by God but targeted by His wrath. Job feels he sits in the middle of the storm without shelter.  But even in this low point in Job’s life, he still does not abandon God. He does not “curse God and die”.  He endures the storm the devil rages against him.  And as we know, eventually the dark clouds break and the light shines through. In the storms of our lives, we too wait for the light to come. Yet even in the midst of the chaos and the roar of the storm, Christ is there. He is the shelter we seek. He offers us the protection we need.  In His death and resurrection, He scatters the storm clouds of sin, death, and the devil, as His light breaks forth from the empty tomb.  In the safe harbor of His love and forgiveness we bask in His light. Safely protected in the calm waters of our Baptism, the storms of life fade into the background, and we rest secure in His grace.