Carried Through the Storm

Your encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional was written by Alison Keita. It's titled, Carried Through the Storm. During Scottish missionary Alexander Duff's first voyage to India in 1830, he was shipwrecked in a storm off the coast of South Africa. He and his fellow passengers made it to a small, desolate island, and a short time later, one of the crew found a copy of a Bible belonging to Duff washed ashore on the beach. When the book dried, Duff read Psalm 107 to his fellow survivors, and they took courage.

Finally, after a rescue and yet another shipwreck, Duff arrived in India. Psalm 107 lists some of the ways God delivered the Israelites. Duff and his shipmates no doubt identified with and took comfort in the words, He stilled the storm to a whisper, the waves of the sea were hushed.

They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven. And, like the Israelites, they too gave thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. We see a parallel to Psalm 107 verses 28 through 30 in the New Testament. Jesus and His disciples were in a boat at sea when a violent storm began. His disciples cried out in fear, and Jesus, God in flesh, calmed the sea.

We too can take courage. Our powerful God and Savior hears and responds to our cries and comforts us in the midst of our storms. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 107 verses 1 through 3 and verses 23 through 32. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story, those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

Now picking up at verse 23. Some went out on the sea and ships. They were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, His wonderful deeds in the deep.

For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths. In their peril, their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards.

They were at their wits end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper.

The waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the counsel of the elders. Let's pray. God, we thank You for not leaving us to face our storms alone. You are a great and mighty God, and You give us peace when the challenges of life just seem too overwhelming. Thank You for loving us so much and for providing a place of comfort and refuge in You. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.