Run for Cover!

I was a teenager in 1982 living in Dickinson, Texas, a small town not far from Galveston, Texas. We were having football practice during the summer months and the heat was extremely intense. Then all of a sudden, the sky turns from a clear blue sky to dingy grey in the middle of the day. We never thought anything of it because it happens so often in Texas. We kept practicing and then the dingy grey sky turned into deep grey color of sorts. At this point, we became extremely worried. The wind start blowing with an intense speed, the thunder starts roaring like there was a drumline in heaven, the lightning was so bright we thought for sure one of us was going to be struck, the rain came down as if someone decided to pour a large bucket of water on us and before long the hurricane alarm went off. Yes, that's right a hurricane! Hurricane Alicia was, at that time, one of the most intense and dangerous hurricanes our small town has ever witnessed. Developing off the course of Galveston, hurricane Alicia changed my life forever.

We felt the intensity of the hurricane, and every second seemed like an hour. Our coaches all screamed, "Run for cover!" We all ran into the gym, took our rightful positions, and waited for the hurricane to end. It was so quiet that the steps of mouses could be heard. We sat there for 3 days and couldn't leave, couldn't call our families, and didn't have much to eat, scary.

I'll never forget those moments sitting there with my teammates but feeling alone and helpless.

As I was driving into work this morning, I thought about hurricane Alicia and the feelings I had of helplessness then a passage of scripture comforted my heart; But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- ( 2 Corinthians 4:7-9).

Sometimes, God positions us in moments of helplessness so that His power may be revealed in us for His glory alone. Here's what I believe the text is ministering to the hearts of any who will listen.

1. We're Human - "But we have this treasure in the earthen vessels...": The treasure in earthen vessels is explained in verses 1-6 of this chapter. It is the treasure of:

• Ministry of the Word- v. 1a
• Mercy of the Word - v. 1b
• Mystery of the Word - v. 2-4
• Message of the Word - v. 5-6

God specializes in using plain ordinary imperfect people. Thank God that our being used is not based on any goodness of our own. I like what Paul says in Ephesians 3:8; "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." One other thing here, You don't have to be perfect for God to use you. "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus". Praise God, it's a privilege serving Jesus!

2. We're Weak: "that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us". I'll never forget growing up as a little boy attending Lindberg Elementary School in Lynwood, Ca, a boy by the name of John Seal who was the neighborhood bully and I was his number one target. Every day was difficult to go to school because I knew when I got there that John Seal would be waiting for me at the gate. I was a little fella, weighing every bit of 105 lbs @ 5' 4" tall and Mr. Seal was 150 lbs @ 5' 11" tall. One day we were playing kick ball during our daily recess time. It was my turn to kick the ball. The ball was rolled and I put my foot into the ball and there it went. Guess who caught the ball, yep, Mr Seal! The only way to get out in the game of kickball is to be hit with the ball. All remember is falling to the ground with my face covered in dirt. I got up to charge Mr Seal and then it hit me, "Are you crazy, he's bigger than you are?" Needless to say, I got mopped up that day. All during class, I kept getting notes from my bully with pictures showing what I'm going to look like after school. The day seemed so long in the afternoon. When the bell rung, I ran. I had a motto back then, "He who runs fast lives a long time". As I made my way down my block, I noticed a huge crowd of kids standing in a circle with my daily bully, Mr. John Seal. I couldn't escape this time I had to face my fears. As I approached, the kids began to circle around us and I started to negotiate with Mr. Seal but he wasn't going for it. Then I noticed a change in his appearance as well as his tone of voice. I thought to myself maybe he's getting scared of me this time so I got louder and really started to act bad. For every step forward I made he stepped back 2. Then something happened that I never would have dreamed of, he ran away almost breaking his neck to get out of the circle. When it was all over I turned around to pick up my book bag and noticed my cousin who stood 6' 2" at 175 lbs was there and was giving hand signs to Mr Seal of what he would like if he tried to hurt his cousin, Clint.

Let me tell you that's how God's power works in weak people. He stands in and does for us what we cannot do for yourselves! Thank you John Seal for being my bully. I maybe weak but I'm strong in Jesus!

Let me close this message:

3. We're Victorious: "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed". In our humanity and weakness, we can't loose!

I've had many tears and sorrows I've had questions for tomorrow There've been times I didn't know right from wrong But in every situation God gave blessed consolation That my trials only come to make me strong I've been a lot of places And I've seen so many faces But there've been times I've felt so all alone But in that lonely hour In that precious, lonely hour Jesus let me know I was His own Through it all Through it all I've learned to trust in Jesus I've learned to trust in God Through it all Through it all I've learned to depend upon His Word So I thank God for the mountains And I thank Him for the valleys I thank Him for the storms He's brought me through Cause if I never had a problem I wouldn't know that He could solve them I wouldn't know what faith in His Word could do Through it all Through it all I've learned to trust in Jesus I've learned to trust in God Through it all Through it all I've learned to depend upon His Word Yes, I've learned to depend upon His Word I've learned to depend upon His Word.

Run for cover under the mighty hand of God!