The Eye of the Storm – 13 September 2021

Above this winter land, cold and frozen, the storm clouds gather, full of power and threat. The dark blues, with their movement and turbulence, draw out the contrast between that which rages so close, and the quiet place, the eye of the storm. The viewer looks from a place of peace, the storm might be raging, but in the eye all remains still. The storm, of course, will move. So to remain in the peace one must remain in the ‘eye’, or be battered and maybe blown away.

 

The image is of a landscape painting by the late Scottish artist, James Morrison.

 

Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

1 Kings 19:11b-13b

 

For your prayer
your journey into God,
may you be given a small storm
a little hurricane
named after you,
persistent enough
to get your attention
violent enough
to awaken you to new depths
strong enough
to shake you to the roots
majestic enough
to remind you of your origin:
made of the earth
yet steeped in eternity
frail human dust
yet soaked with infinity.

You begin your storm
under the Eye of God.
A watchful, caring eye
gazes in your direction
as you wrestle
with the life force within.

In the midst of these holy winds
In the midst of this divine wrestling
your storm journey
like all hurricanes
leads you into the eye,
Into the Eye of God
where all is calm and quiet.

A stillness beyond imagining!
Into the Eye of God
after the storm
Into the silent, beautiful darkness
Into the Eye of God.

Macrina Wiederkehr, Into the Eye of God (2011)

 

O God our defender, storms rage about us and cause us to be afraid. Rescue your people from despair, deliver your sons and daughters from fear, and preserve us all from unbelief; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.