Nancy Hughes: What's on the radar?

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind
is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in
the Lord forever, for the Lord, the
Lord, is the Rock eternal.”
Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)

One of my favorite shows on television is the weather channel. No, really. There is always something new popping up on the map. I seriously love hearing about an approaching storm predicted to deliver snow to my community or the warnings of tornadoes forming.

I marvel at the radar showing rain changing to sleet and then snow within an hour. It amazes me that understanding cloud types can help determine the kind of weather to expect. Granted there are times when the weather prediction is uncertain at best and it seems that the meteorologists have spun an arrow on a circle marked with different types of weather and whatever the arrow stopped on was our forecast for the day.

But overall, just knowing what the radar predicts is coming next gives me a bit of confidence and security over the weather.

I’ve always thought it would be great to have radar predictions for the storms that hit our lives, much like what we see on the weather channel. “Tomorrow there is a 90% likelihood of extreme heat as my husband and I disagree on buying a car but Tuesday looks clear.

“On Wednesday there is a 60% chance that I will lose my contacts so visibility will be low and I will need someone else to pick up the kids after school. Thursday brings a chance of showers and moisture as I step on the scales so Friday will find a high pressure workout at the local gym.”

There is something about our wanting to be in control of our circumstances that keeps many of us from trusting our Father to take care of us at all times and in everything that we face. What that actually means is that, deep inside, we don’t really believe that God has the power to do what He says He can do.

Trust. That’s what it comes down to, doesn’t it. Today’s Power Verses address that very thing. You will have peace, strength and receive help when you trust the Lord. You will be helped when you trust the Lord. Every. Single. Time.

So what extreme heat situations are you trying to weather today? A family crisis? An alcoholic loved one? A career loss? Trust our Father to be 100% accurate as He leads you through the storms in your life with His Godly radar.

Father, so many times I have tried to determine what is going to happen in my life and to fix it on my own. I trust you now to take care of me and to direct my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

When tough situations in life occur, what is the first thing that you do?

Do you trust the Lord to handle it for you or do you try to fix it on your own?

Apply

Look up verses in Scripture that talk about the results of trusting in the Lord.

Memorize one verse each week and journal how that verse encouraged you.

Power

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV) “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Psalm 28:7 (NIV) “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her blog, Encouragement from the War Room.)