REFLECTIONS

Only God

Clouds of desperation cast their long deep shadow of doom. Nothing could be done. The ship inhaled its final breath before it disappeared into the depths while others crowded into the life boats leaving you alone to face a wall of angry waves. Nothing was left—only God.

The scene from an ocean’s storm may be familiar only from stories read or movies seen; but realities of despair introduce themselves into the lives of most of us at some time during our journey. It’s a time beyond the loneliness of, “It’s just you and me, Lord.” There’s only God. The psalmist began a story this way:

They were merchants on the mighty waters.
They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deed in the deep.
For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted the waves.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;

in their peril their courage melted away.
They reeled and staggered like drunken men;

they were at their wits’ end. (Psalm 107:23b-27)

In her poem, Are You at Wits End Corner? Antoinette Wilson picked up on the theme.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Christian,

         with troubled brow
Are you thinking of what is before you,

         And all you are bearing now
Does all the world seem against you,

         And you in the battle alone
Remember at Wits End Corner

         Is where God’s power is shown.

Then, for those times when there’s only God, the psalmist tells us what to do. (My paraphrase of Psalm 107:28-32)
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,

         and he brought them from their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;

         the waves hushed upon his request.

They were glad when calm came upon them,

         and he guided them to places of rest.

And they gave thanks to the LORD for his wonderful deeds

         and his unfailing love that provides us his best. 

“You are the light of the world,”

Richard +

www.reflectingthesavior.org

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