Recently Hurricane Florence came ashore in North Carolina.  In the days leading up to its landfall, my town of Richmond, Virginia was buzzing with activity as people prepared for the possibility of power outages, trees falling, and general chaos.  Like many, I watched the tracking of the storm, but with more concern than usual since my daughters live on the east coast.  The daughter I love the most lives in Charleston, SC, while my favorite daughter lives in Newport News, VA.  Or maybe it is the other way around.  Needless to say, a father always worries about his children, and this storm had me doubly worried.

The hurricane track ultimately focused on North Carolina, about 150 miles from Charleston and 210 miles from Newport News.  I silently breathed a prayer of thanks to God, that my kids were likely as safe as could be from this storm, with its track right between them.  My daughters’ extensive preparations were well thought out, and likely would have been effective, but we were relieved nonetheless.

I have thought about praying to God a lot these days.  At my church, Hope Church, we just finished a sermon series on prayer.  The crowds that attended attest to our natural curiosity about prayer.  The last sermon was one that highlighted questions we all have about prayer.

Hurricanes cause many to pray, before, during, and after the storm.  When we face challenging circumstances, we can and should pray to God, keeping in mind seven principles.

The first principle is found in Matthew, chapter 8.

²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Here, we see that God controls the world, and everything in it.

The second principle is shown in 1 Kings, chapter 17, where Elijah remains with a widow and her son during a drought.  We read in verses 14 through 16.

¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

Here, we see that God provides for us.

The third principle can be viewed in Proverbs, chapter 2.

⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷ He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
⁸ for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.

Here we see that God protects us.

The fourth principle is seen in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, chapter 1.

⁸ We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹ as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Here, we see that God delivers us from harm.

The fifth principle is recounted in Luke 5, verses 12 and 13.

¹² While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

¹³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

Here, we see that God heals us, most notably from illness.

The sixth principle is shared in Psalm 145, verse 14 through 16.

¹⁴ The Lord sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.
¹⁶ You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Here, we see that God sustains us.

The seventh principle is noted in many passages, with one oft-repeated from Psalm 23, the first three verses.

¹The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
²     he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
³     he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

Here, we find that God restores us, His ultimate aim and purpose.

God’s Word reveals His love for us, no matter our circumstances, and offers us these principles and many others that attest to God’s care for us.  As we face life’s uncertainty, may we always turn to the Lord and share our fears, our hopes, and our needs.  In prayer, God will always bring us closer to Him, as He wraps his arms around us in love.  Let us cry “Abba” (Daddy) to God, in our hurricanes.