This is that time of the year in Missouri when the weather patterns begin to change too quickly, and we find our TV shows are constantly being interrupted with storm warnings. We sometimes hear the meteorologist tell us we need to seek shelter immediately.

When I think about storms and shelter, I often envision the eye of a storm. Did you know that in the center of a tropical cyclone you can find a region of calm weather and sunshine as much as 20-40 miles in diameter?  It is called the eye of the storm.

In this life, we are often faced with other types of storms. We get bad news, negative reports, face difficult obstacles.  Read below one of my favorite passages of Scripture, which talks about the shelter that is available to the believer.

Psalm 91:1-2; 9-16 NKJV

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust…..”

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. 14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

If you are facing a storm in your life, I want you to remember that no matter what kind of storm you encounter, He is the “I AM” of the storm!

Eye of the storm verses “I AM” of the storm 

1. He said to Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I AM your shield, your exceedingly great reward” (Gen 15:1 NKJV).
2. He said to Jacob after he wrestled with Him all night. “I AM God Almighty!” (Gen 35:11) He changed his name from Jacob meaning supplanter to Israel “may God prevail”.
3. He said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex 3:14).
4. He said to the prophet Isaiah, “I AM the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God” (Isa 44:6).
5. He told the disciples:
   • “I AM the bread of life” (John 6:35).
   • “I AM the light of the orld” (John 8:12).
   • “I AM the door” (John 10:9).
   • “I AM the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
   • “I AM the true vine” (John 15:1)
6. He told Martha, “I AM the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
7. He told Thomas, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
8. He told John the Revelator:
   • “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last” (Rev 1:11).
   • “I AM He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore” (Rev 1:18).
   • “I AM He who searches the minds and hearts” (Rev 2:23).
   • “I AM the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (Rev 22:16).
   • “Surely I AM coming quickly” (Rev 22:20).

One of the most famous “Peace” Scriptures is about Jesus being the “I AM” of the storm.

Mark 4:35-40 NKJV

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

In this passage we not only see Jesus demonstrate speaking peace to a literal storm, but we see Jesus show us what perfect peace looks like when He can sleep while the others were so overcome with fear.

I have heard it said, “Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His Child”.  Our peace is often a result of our ability to cast our care over on Him and trust that He has us.  I will be the first to admit; this is easier said, than done at times, but I want to encourage you today to do that.

We can be confident that He is our great I AM, He will be what we need Him to be at each moment in our lives, and we can find the shelter that we need in the Great “I AM”!