merry + bright: Week 2, Day 2: Master, the Tempest is Raging

This was actually a storm we had in October, but just turn the snow sideways and it will look like the storm last night!

Today, one of the "most severe storms on record" was anticipated to hit Salt Lake City. Granted, I know that it actually did hit other places, but the storm that hit Salt Lake was a bit of a disappointment. But the build-up for the storm was exciting and a little unnerving for me. As my coworkers and I discussed leaving work early and all the advantages of such a storm, one friend talked about her mom's love of gathering the family around to sing "Master, the Tempest is Raging" while they brave the passing storms. As a worrier, I had been doing a fair amount of worrying about storms and this one in particular, accidents, tragedies, Thanksgiving, etc., so in thinking about the hymn, I took comfort in the words of the chorus of the song:

The winds and the waves shall obey my will;
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey my will.
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey my will.
Peace, peace, be still!

It made me think of my return flight from Cleveland about a month ago. On the flight from Chicago to SLC, we were delayed on the tarmac for an hour due to bad weather, but at last the plane took off... only to begin a 3-hour flight of almost solid turbulence. I don't mind flying, and turbulence is okay, but three hours can be a little unnerving. I began to worry especially when I thought about landing the plane. The thought of the plane hitting a pocket of air right before it hit the ground and dropping just rubbed me the wrong way. So, in that moment, just before the landing, I prayed to the Lord, saying something to the effect of "Father, this world, the elements, are in Thy hands. Please still this crazy turbulence."

The beauty of that moment was that from the time of the "amen", the turbulence ceased and the landing was smooth.

I have thought of that experience often as I feel as the phrase in the first verse of the song in different times of worry, darkness and doubt:

Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.
No shelter or help is nigh.
Carest thou not that we perish?
How canst thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threatening
A grave in the angry deep?

I know that the Lord can still all storms, the ones that come in forms of inclement weather, or worry, fear and doubt. I know this because He has still the storms in my life and will continue to do so as I turn to Him.

Tonight I read the sweet final verse of the song and it made me realize that I neglect to follow the blessed assurances and peace from the Lord with a song of gratitude.

Master, the terror is over.
The elements sweetly rest.
Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
And heaven’s within my breast.
Linger, Oh, blessed Redeemer!
Leave me alone no more,
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor
And rest on the blissful shore.