Suddenly a fierce storm hit the lake, and the boat was in danger of sinking. But Jesus was asleep. The disciples went to him and woke him up. "Save us, Lord!" they said. "We are about to die!" "Why are you so frightened?" Jesus answered. "What little faith you have!" Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm. Everyone was amazed. "What kinm of man is this?" they said. "Even the winds and the waves obey him!"(Matthew 8:24-27)
Australia has experienced the extremes of weather with torrential rain that has flooded country towns and cities; cyclones that have flattened towns and crops and fires that have destroyed property.
Sadly there has been a loss of life as the elements of nature are felt with their full fury.
As Christians when the elements come against us, it is a time to pray and ask God to still the storms that are coming against people. While we might not be Jesus, we can pray for protection from the battering and the full fury of the extreme weather pattern.
We can also pray specifically for God to “still the storm”. Many people prayed when Yasi bore down on Northern Queensland. They believed that their prayers turned Yasi away from the main centres of Cairns and Townsville. While the cyclone was devastating, it could have been worse. Thankfully there was minimal loss of life.
But there is another story of prayer that came out of the floods.
On December 21,2010, the Lord warned a lady in Chinchilla that there was going to be a flood. She listened and removed all her merchandise from the rented shop in the main street..
For a few days, no rain and she felt a little silly. But she held fast to what she had “heard” from God.
December 26th arrived and so did the flood. Chinchilla was inundated but her stock was safe. She was offered to go back into the shop after the water had gone down. But after prayer, she decided to keep her merchandise at home. Many others returned to their businesses as normal.
On January 12th the flood came again, this time 20cm higher, and many businesses last everything. Her stock was safe at home.
People in the town started saying to her, ‘You’re the smartest woman in town’. But it wasn’t her being smart at all – it was just her being obedient to the Word that God had given her.
Prayer is about listening and praying to God.