Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.
Psalm 107
All shall be well, Lord!
It’s hard to grasp this in this struggling world.
Earth’s foundations eroding,
stained dark by seas of suffering.
Evil surging, waves crashing with destructive force
on moving sand.
Threatening cliff-falls of faith.
Lashing the puny breakwaters of belief,
threatening inundation.
Yet, all shall be well?
Seasick with seasonal anxiety,
the hard knot of panic just below my heart.
I look to you.
Wondering, doubting.
Is your hand stretched out yet again?
Will you restrain the storm, bring peace?
Lord, you are the still centre of every storm.
In you is calm, whatever the wind outside.
In you is reassurance, however high the waves.
In you is strength, however contrary the tide.
I put myself in your hand.
The sea is vast. No landmarks.
I don’t know the way.
At times I can’t even point to north.
But I’m content to leave the navigation to you.
To meet the unknown.
To find, if not new continents of faith,
at least an island or two.
Knowing that, in spite of storm strength,
all shall be well.
And Lord, there are others, sailing other crafts.
I pray for them, today.
Eddie Askew: “Many voices, one Voice”
JUST AS HE WAS - playing with Mark 4:35-41
in a boat crossing to another shore just as he was
no posturing nor pretending
wiped out
tired and bedraggled hungry already half asleep
just as he was no time to clean up, to freshen up
worn out
head on pillow, he slept while a storm raged
+++
roused from his spent-ness by fearful voices around him he spoke, peace and the storm was stilled.
philip chircop sj | 21st June, 2015
Art: Peace Be Still by He Qi
Meredakan Angin Ribut (Calm The Storm)
Blessing in the Storm of another….
I cannot claim
to still the storm that has seized you,
cannot calm the waves
that wash through your soul, that break against your fierce and aching heart.
But I will wade into these waters, will stand with you in this storm, will say peace to you in the waves, peace to you in the winds, peace to you
in every moment that finds you
still within the storm. Jan Richardson
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