There is a storm brewing. It is here. It is now. The storm clouds have been gathering, and we have ignored them. The watchmen in our cities have cried out to us their warnings, “Take cover! Do something before it’s too late!” We have seen the distant thunder and thought, “It will come tomorrow, or next year – and we’ll be ready then.” Or worse, “It will come after I’m here, so don’t fret about what I cannot change.” Or will not change.

And so their warnings have fallen on deaf ears. Our deaf ears. Yours and mine.

And so the storm has gathered in force, and the lightning intensified as it has approached our city. Our city. Our home. Yours and mine.

And now as the first few drops of rain have fallen, some are saying, “It is not wet.” Others are saying “Let it come – there is nothing we can do; let it come.” While more are looking around and saying to anyone, to everyone, “Why aren’t you doing anything?” or “Why haven’t they done anything?” or “What am I supposed to do about it? I’m not the problem.”

And now the storm is here. And they are looking, you are looking, and there seems to be no shelter. Do you feel helpless? Do I feel helpless?

But if you are quiet; if you listen, you can still hear it. It beats within your heart, whispers into your nights, urges you to do something. It softly calls in the midst of the noise, as the storm rises above us and is about to unleash in all its returning power of destruction, it still calls out in part of you – the restless part of you, the quiet part of you.

It is His Voice. You know it, but you have been running. You hear it, but you are hiding. We have run away in fear and busied ourselves on the outside, making our own storm shelters, trying to silence it’s quiet call.

But do not silence it. It is Him calling us – calling us to His shelter, calling us to return. Return to Him, before it’s too late.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37

“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…” Malachi 4:2a

— B. Payne