Praise You in the Storm

My friends in Christ,

I am sitting in Zale Lipshy Hospital with Marlane, my wife (so far three days during this stay), awaiting a healing of her neck pain and arm numbness that she has suffered for the past five weeks. It’s been a tough ordeal for her especially since she has a high threshold of pain. I know that I would be curled up in the fetal position, whimpering, and wanting to be sedated to the maximum possible, but not the case for Marlane.

As we await the new procedure – injection of steroid into her spine, and the known associated risks of internal bleeding, infection, and paralysis – I am reminded of Psalm 46:1-5 in The Message:

God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in sea storm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains. Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, GOD of angel armies protects us.
River fountains splash joy, cooling God's city, this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe, God at your service from crack of dawn.

Oh how important it is to know and remember and proclaim that God is ever present within our storms. As the song “Praise You in the Storm” recorded by Casting Crowns states:

Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now, God,
You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God
who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Marlane and I have shed many tears in this storm and we are saying our Amens. It is my hope that you can do the same. Also, even in the moments when we seem to not be able to praise Him in the storm, we know we have the rest of the Body of Christ to do the praising for us. Lord, thanks for catching our tears and being a safe place to hide. Amen…again, again, and again!!!!