When Jesus Calms the Storms in Our Life

Last Saturday, September 26, the country had experienced one of the most tragic floods in the Philippine history when Typhoon Ondoy brought massive rains resulting to 73 people died and some 330,000 people were displaced as reported in Philippine Daily Inquirer on the following Monday. PAGASA said that a month’s worth of rainfall poured in just six hours. As stated in the papers, 80 percent of Metro Manila was under water.

We were so thankful that, even if outside the comfort of our home in Spring Homes there was just an ankle-level muddy flood rushing in all our streets, our family was spared of the inconvenience most of our fellow Filipinos in other part of Luzon were already experiencing that time. However, we were worrying about my sister Nicalyn who was in Los Baños that time and also about my sister Christina and her family in Bulacan. Prayers were keeping us faithful. We were also playing Hillsongs music in the background. Psyche, my nineteen-month-old sister, was making us laugh through it all.

When the electricity was cut, we were trying to save our cellphone batteries to contact Nicalyn because she was still outside and we did not know what might happen to her. Being in flesh we still felt so anxious about her. But we were so thankful for the opportunity God had given to us to know His power and to show us what He could do. It was an opportunity to exercise our faith.

I did not report to work as Mama did not want me to go. I even received a text message from Gracia, asking me to stay home instead. Text messages started flooding the air waves as well as people began sending messages of concern and encouragement to their friends and loved ones.

To some point I was amazed with the fact that God was so alive in circumstances like this. Even if the storm was raging outside your home, you could find an incredible power of a warm comfort coming from within you as God empowers you inside. Initially it reminded me of the Great Flood with Noah in the Bible. However, what I am going to share today is the beautiful Bible lessons I had learned from the Victory Christian Fellowship in Alabang yesterday led by Pastor Ariel Marquez.

We discussed three important lessons we can learn from the story written in Mark 4:35-41 (NIV) wherein Jesus Calms the Storm.

1.Storms will come.

Pastor Ariel said that we all know that storms will come in our lives. Knowing this fact, we should at least know how to prepare for it.

2.“Let us go over to the other side.” (Mark 4:35)

This verse tells us a very beautiful reminder that when Jesus said, “Let us...” He was referring to Him and us together which means that even if we are in the middle of a storm, we are with Jesus. We are not alone. We have a powerful God who is with us through it all.

3.Storms will pass.

When Jesus said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm (Mark 4:39). It tells us that even the elements of this earth obey Him because He is a powerful God. And also, it tells us that storms are temporary. Yes, they come and they pass.

Whenever we experience storms in our lives, whether it is a financial or emotional storm, we should always keep in mind that we are not alone, that we have a very powerful God who is with us through it all. It is so natural for us to feel fearful and worried. What you can do about these emotions is to submit them to God and let Him alone take over. In the end, there is no doubt that you will be successful.

Reporting,

Fernand Yim

The following are pictures taken by my sister Nicalyn during and after Ondoy in Calamba City.

Mud everywhere!

Cars and other vehicles trying their luck as seeing the tip of the iceberg

Nicalyn's left foot as she conquers the the slimy mud in the water in Pansol

Muddy water in Pansol, Calamba City

Traffic in Pansol, Calamba City

Footprint in the mud?

Muddy but still beautiful

Muddy Caltex, muddy gasoline?

Muddy scene left by Ondoy

Muddy Sioland in Halang, Calamba City

It's cleaning time!

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Extending a Hand

Have you been in a situation before wherein you were in a position to help someone and you wanted to help that person, however, you were feeling awkward to take the first step? I know it seems funny and so unreasonable for us to not pursue the chance to help someone just because we are uncomfortable with how people might react around us.

There was a chance before that a lady dropped her hankie in the elevator where we were the only people in there. It took us like a minute before we reached the desired floor. That was the same span of minute I had to tell her that her hankie fell into the elevator’s floor or to pick it up for her. But I was feeling shy to even open my mouth to call her attention or to do anything at all. So lame, I know.

Now just recently I attended for the very first time the monthly Praise and Worship in Victory Christian Fellowship in Alabang. It was a beautiful experience. When I was on my way home boarding a bus to Calamba City, I was seated next to a young man who was next to the bus window. So I was near the aisle. The opposite seat to me had a young lady near me and an old nice-looking woman who was sitting next to the bus window.

When the bus steward was issuing bus tickets, I overheard the old lady apologizing that her money was eight pesos short. I could hear the sacrificed pride in her voice which failed to be firm and strong to me. It had easily touched my heart. I felt pain in my heart as she tried her best to explain what had happened. The bus steward initially complained that it would be put on him. That time I could feel the swelling embarrassment the old woman was feeling that time.

In myself I was feeling the Holy Spirit was telling me something. The message was so clear that I could not deny it. God wanted to work in me to show His grace for the old lady. God wanted me to help her. And I wanted so much to lift a finger to help her that very moment. But my body seemed so stiff to move a bit. Dizzy thoughts were running wild in my head. I was thinking that if I would help her, it might draw attention from the other people on the bus which I was already feeling not so comfortable about. I was also thinking, what if it would only embarrass the old lady more if I would do that? Or what if she would refuse the help by any chance? Tell me it is so lame to think all of this while someone was there who might be praying for God’s help and God would want to answer that prayer by using me as His instrument.

I silently prayed asking the Holy Spirit to guide me and give me the strength that I would need to do what I was asked to do that time. When it was my turn to pay my fare, I readied another forty pesos and offered that to the bus steward who frowned at me in confusion. I told him it was for the old lady and I quickly put my index finger on my lips to tell him not to tell the old lady about it. I tried to make it discreet as much as I could which I think I was successful doing so. After that I felt so relieved and happy that I was able to participate in God’s works.

True it is that many times we feel so willing to help people that God has allowed to come our way. It is God’s invitation for us to work with Him to show His love to all of us. In fact, we should feel honored to get invited and be God’s instrument. But sometimes our being in flesh and our too much consciousness hinder us to accept the invitation of God. Anyway always remember that we are in the same world and we all have our own prayers. It might be that there is a time that we are part of the answers of the other people’s prayer or the other way around. In any circumstance you might be in, let the LORD lead your way and be blessed. #

Reporting,

Fernand Yim

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