One of the past-times in North Carolina is waiting for Hurricanes to make landfall. How should I pass the time while I wait? While waiting for Hurricane Irene in 2011 I played putt-putt! Obviously, we weren’t expecting a direct hit or major flooding. But with Florence, all I want to do is eat! And when your kids are all grown, and you can’t pull them under your wings to keep them safe, the need for comfort-food is significant! I have one child on the coast of North Carolina, planning to weather the storm. I have another child (with my grandson) headed out of town to avoid the flooding that is predicted. And my other child, who is far away from Hurricanes, may be flown in so he and his company can deploy their drones for search and rescue! Where are the chocolate chip cookies?! What a horrible time for a “no sugar, no dairy” fast! I need some cookies!!! Where do you turn when the “stressors” are compounding?

Thankfully, I can turn to our Creator God and rest in His Sovereign care, bringing my anxious thoughts and concerns and laying them before Him. Paul David Tripp’s New Morning Mercies devotional “slapped” my perspective back into focus with a great reminder: “Prayer is abandoning all other objects of worship and giving myself to the daily worship of God alone!” Wow, I need to abandon my thoughts of cookies and turn to prayer while I worship the One Who IS ABLE to turn this all around! And what better Scripture to pass the time than Psalm 77. Thanks, Mr. Tripp!

Please, don’t stop short; Read all 20 verses; you’ll be glad you did!

1 I cry out to God; yes, I shout.
Oh, that God would listen to me!

2 When I was in deep trouble,
I searched for the Lord.
All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,
but my soul was not comforted.

3 I think of God, and I moan,
overwhelmed with longing for his help.
Interlude

4 You don’t let me sleep.
I am too distressed even to pray!

5 I think of the good old days,
long since ended,

6 when my nights were filled with joyful songs.
I search my soul and ponder the difference now.

7 Has the Lord rejected me forever?
Will he never again be kind to me?

8 Is his unfailing love gone forever?
Have his promises permanently failed?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he slammed the door on his compassion?
Interlude

10 And I said, “This is my fate;
the Most High has turned his hand against me.”

11 But then I recall all you have done, O LORD;
I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.

12 They are constantly in my thoughts.
I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

13 O God, your ways are holy.
Is there any god as mighty as you?

14 YOU ARE THE GOD OF GREAT WONDERS! YOU DEMONSTRATE YOUR AWESOME POWER AMONG THE NATIONS.

15 By your strong arm, you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
Interlude

16 When the Red Sea saw you, O God,
its waters looked and trembled!
The sea quaked to its very depths.

17 The clouds poured down rain;
the thunder rumbled in the sky.
Your arrows of lightning flashed.

18 Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;
the lightning lit up the world!
The earth trembled and shook.

19 Your road led through the sea,
your pathway through the mighty waters—
a pathway no one knew was there!

20 You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep,
with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.

Saying no to cookies and running to the actual “De-stressor” Himself! How about you? How are you passing the time while waiting for __________?