More Lessons From the Recent Storms

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7

Welcome to a new week, brothers. And what a week that we just came through! Wednesday night was one of the most difficult nights in my life in a long time.

We hunkered down for the Nor’easter that was supposed to give us just a few inches of snow. Few inches? We ended up with over a foot!!!

Normally I am a glass half-full guy – but for some reason I was weak in body, mind and emotion and as the trees were crashing down all around our house, and the loss of power once again – I was really struggling. Struggling to the point that if someone had offered me a way out of my position as President/CEO,  I might have taken that lifeline.

Normally I can’t get our local Christian radio station, WYRS FM in the house (I can get it in the car). With the power being out we decided to see if we could get the news on our battery operated player.

The ONLY station that came in crystal clear? You guessed it – WYRS! I was curled up on the sofa and I was feeling totally overwhelmed. Just then this song came on:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater.
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

Refrain
His love has no limit – His grace has no measure.
His power has no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
©1941, ren.1969 Lillenas Publishing Company. Admin. The Copyright Company.

I really wasn’t even humored by the fact that this was a heart-delivered message from the Lord from His lips to my ears. I went to bed and felt the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I woke up late (7:00 AM for me is like getting up at 9:00 AM) and had my wife scared. I never sleep in. But I was done!

I walked in to work and the devastation all around me just weighed my heart down. It was then that the words of the song heard the night before just worked their weight into my heart. It was like a soothing balm to my soul – maybe what David was talking about when he penned that he was surrounded with “songs of deliverance.”

Instead of being focused on all of the devastation and the lack of power, I experienced His mercy, His strength, His peace. I felt the cloud of despair lifting realizing that I was no long in control and that the “Father’s full giving” was about to begin.

More tomorrow! Thanks for listening to my vulnerable heart. – Bill Welte is President/CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Jeremiah 51-52; Proverbs 12; Hebrews 9

Motivations: Christian faith-the faith that counts – is that which depends on God – no matter what circumstances are like. This is faith in God, Himself – faith in God’s character – faith in God’s integrity. Richard C. Halverson

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 3:9-10; Level 2: James 3:7-12

Powered Up:  The whole meaning of prayer is that we may know God. – Oswald Chambers