Delivered Through Every Storm

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalms 34:17-18 (NIV)

When I looked out the windows on Tuesday morning, I saw a welcome sight—the sun was shining, and not a single flurry remained. As Janice and I shoveled our way out, my mind turned to God’s deliverance. He had brought us through to the other side. Yes, there was still plenty of snow to move—as my aching body still attests—but the storm had passed.

On Thursday, once again shoveling snow at the downtown church, I met with a couple who shared their story of deliverance from addiction. They admitted they weren’t yet where they hoped to be, but the clarity in their eyes and the determination in their spirits proclaimed God’s goodness. He had walked with them this far, and He would continue to walk with them on the road ahead.

As I prepared for the sermon yesterday, I was reminded again of the freedom from sin that comes through Jesus’ atonement for our trespasses—the deepest and most powerful deliverance of all. And as Paul reminds us in Romans 4, this deliverance rests not on our strength but on God’s promise, a promise steady enough to hold us whether we’re shoveling out from a storm or taking our next step toward healing.

Whatever our situation may be—trapped by a snowstorm, ensnared by addiction, or facing trials and temptations of every kind—God hears our cries and delivers us. He is always near, walking beside us in every circumstance, and He will see us through to the other side.

Gracious God, we thank you for your deliverance. We confess that we often take your love and mercy for granted. For those times, we ask your forgiveness. Help us remember today that whatever we are going through, you deliver us from all our troubles. Amen.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Tim