Here we are in that time of the year when storms come upon us often. We find that the weather person on the local news program is more important to us. If they say, grab your umbrella or raincoat we pay attention. Rain storms, thunderstorms, windstorms, tornados, storms of all kind cluster into this season of the year. We understand that is just the way it is with the weather; storms come, and you prepare for them as best you can. Life goes on.

What's the best way to beat a storm? It's being prepared, isn't it? Yet, sometimes life throws a storm at us for which we aren't prepared — in fact, life throws storms at us we just can't even imagine! The storm might be the death of a loved one, the loss of our job, the loss of our home, an illness, or maybe some great financial setback.

We are about as ready for some of life's storms as the ship's captain I read about recently. As a storm raged, the captain realized his ship was rapidly sinking. He called out to his crew, "Anyone here know how to pray?" One man stepped forward and said, "Aye, Captain, I know how to pray." "Good," said the captain, "you pray while the rest of us put on our life jackets — we're one short."

What do you do when those things come into your life — the unexpected disaster, the heartbreak for which you can't prepare? There is an old song that comes to mind called, "Shelter in the Time of Storm." Read some of the words and see if they fit your life; "The Lord's our Rock, in Him we hide, A shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, A shelter in the time of storm. The raging storms may round us beat, ... we'll never leave our safe retreat, A shelter in the time of storm." The chorus then declares, "O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A shelter in the time of storm."

King David wrote in Psalms 18:2, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold." Wow! That sounds great doesn't it? It sounds like a good solid sermon! But what does it mean to me in my life?

What does it mean to me in my life?
Like the captain said, "Does anyone here know how to pray?" If you answer "Yes," the answer has inherent in it the idea that you know the one to whom you are praying! If your answer is "No," then you have nowhere to go for help! Our God is our "Rock," our "Shelter," our "Salvation". And as the song said, "Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A shelter in the time of storm!"

If you don't have that "shelter in the time of storm," maybe it's time you take a good look at your life. Ask yourself why it is that if you are willing to prepare for a weather related storm, why not for a life related storm? Find your Shelter before the storm comes!

May our God continue to bless and keep you always and in every storm of life!