Sheer Amazement

Psalm 89:9,10 - "You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves. You crushed the great sea monster."

The sun accosted my eyes in a blazing contrast to the darker cool of the building the second we stumbled out of it's doorway. Dust was kicking up from the panicked foot traffic of those around us and I could hear the colorful expressions inspired by those who lost the battle with sheer and unabashed fear.  In front of me, as we all scurried outside to safety, I saw one of the largest rusty, dirt-covered bulldozers I had ever seen in my life - teeter, rock, and shimmy so violently that I was positive it was going to take off down the old dirt road on it's own. Behind us, I heard rows and rows of grocery shelves topple like dominoes with one loud crash and thud after another as the contents went hurling to the old vinyl floor. A power line went down.

There just wasn't a safe place to stand and ride out the earth quake. There were too many buildings. Too many things falling down.

And just like that -- in the blink of an eye or a snap of the finger -- it was over. The earth we so blindly depend on stilled once more and walking became a little less challenging. People were injured - but only superficially, no one was killed or crushed by falling STUFF. I don't remember what number this quake ranked on the Richter scale....but it must have been a doozy.

My home town growing up - Davao City, Philippines - was never a stranger to earth quakes. The Philippines in general is no stranger to earthquakes. The next door neighbor to Japan, the PI [Philippine Islands] rests on the crossroads of three tectonic plates; The Philippine Sea Plate, The Eurasian Plate, and the Pacific Plate. And as you may have guessed, these three plates are often in an argument over elbow room.  When this happens, the earth rumbles in protest. Add this with the sheer quantity of active faults on the islands -- and you have one riotous geographic party standing ever at the ready to get loud and rowdy.

Earthquakes can be monsters. Thunderstorms can be monsters. Tornadoes, Hurricanes and lightning strikes can be monsters. But also......LIFE can be a monster.

In ancient Hebrew literature, the great sea monster mentioned in Psalm 89 was called Rahab. She represented chaos. I like Psalm 89:9-10 for so many, many reasons but one that really sticks out is that Ethan the Ezrahite [the author of THIS particular Psalm] was not ashamed to name his monsters. As he lifted his praise up to the Lord, he gave credit where credit is due...to God. He recognized victory - AND - he proclaimed the power and strength of our Lord.

I was struck full on by this verse today because I think there are a lot of us who, in a moment of panic, might not remember that God is greater than our monsters. He rules the oceans that so quickly generate giant storms. He rules the sometimes shaky earth beneath our feet and the skies that let loose golf-ball sized hail. We belong to the most powerful, the most strong!

Psalm 94:9 says: "Is He deaf -- the one who made your ears? Is He blind -- the one who formed your eyes?"

We have but to call out -- ask for help. I find myself so often struggling through something that becomes this HUGE monster that I cannot conquer -- because I've tried to slay the dragon on my own. I CAN'T slay the dragon on my own. I don't know when I'll learn this - but I HAVE to give my battles to the Lord and let Him fight them, let Him guide me through them. He subdues the storm-tossed waves, afterall.  He'll subdue my life storms, as well.