Intro: A group of golfers were approaching the fourth hole on the golf course one afternoon Suddenly the sky turned ominous, and it began to rain amid claps of thunder They rushed to shelter in a gazebo near a metal fence. As the storm grow in intensity, a bolt of lightning hit the long fence and lit it up like a neon sign. It was a while before any of them could speak. Then one player turned to his opponents and said, “You know what I had on the first hole-it really was a seven."
Storms have a way of making us focus on what really matters in life. We tend to set everything straight and put our lives back on the right path when we face storms. Let’s look at a storm from the OT this morning.
“Ever find yourself at Wits End?”
Psalm 107:23-31
At some point in our lives, some sooner than others, we will end up at “Wit’s End”. I have heard my parent say this to me many times as they look at my report card. “we are at Wits End with you boy” ? But I have to admit I never knew this was in the bible till a few years ago when I came across it in Psalm.
In today scriptures, we see a true to life experience. God sends a storm, and this was a big storm. It’s was not an Ida but more like a Wilma type of storm. The sailors found themselves at “Wits End”. So, what did they do?... the same thing we do when we find our self in a corner with no possible way out, they cry out to God to save them. God heard them and stilled the storm and brought them to their desired haven. This morning I want us to look at this story and discover together how we can ride out the storms of life when we find ourselves at Wits End.
Let’s pray.
1) The situation they Encountered. 23-27
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, 24 They see the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep. 25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end.
So how does this O/T situation compare with what going on with US today? These seasoned sailors find themselves in a storm like they have never faced before, they had done all they knew to survive yet the storm is still raging and they find themselves at “Wits End”.
If you’re not at Wits End right now with what’s going on around you, I promise you will get there someday SOON.
Wits end for these sailors was after trying everything they could think of they were still in trouble. But that’s what we do right. We try to fix thing till it’s too late and we are at “Wits End” and we know now were in trouble.
ILL: A young boy was driving a hayrack down the road when the wagon fell over in front of a farmer's house. The farmer came out, saw the young boy crying and said, “son, don’t worry about this, we can fix it. Right now dinner's ready. Why don't you come in and eat with us and then I'll help you put the hay back on the rack. “The boy said, “no, I can't. My father is going to be very angry with me. "The farmer said, “Now don't worry, just come in and have some lunch and you'll feel better. “The boy said, “I’m just afraid my father is going to be very angry with me."The farmer and the young boy went inside and had dinner. Afterwards, as they walked outside to the hayrack, the farmer said, “Now, son, don’t you feel better after that great meal? “The boy said, “Yes but I just know that my father will be very angry with me. "The farmer said, “nonsense. Where is your father anyway? “The boy said, “He’s under that wagon." This young man knew he was in trouble. You know when you’re in trouble right?
?These merchants, they knew they were in trouble.
?They were seamen on the “mighty water” they had their sea legs.
?They had been in storms before.
ILL: I love to take people out fishing when I to have time. But every once in a while, you take someone out who has never been to sea before. When the boat starts to rock back and forth, if you don’t have your sea legs, you will find yourself in one of two places. A) The bottom of the boat laying down or B) hanging over the side giving back to nature. No sea legs.
Vs 25-26 25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble.
These were big waves. “They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths” no wonder the sailors courage melted away.
ILL: A few years back I took my son Austin on a father/son trip and we went to Bush Gardens. I told him what ever ride he wanted to go on I would do it. First mistake. Big mistake. “Shirka” who ever came up with this ride has no fear at all. They take you high Up to the heavens, hang you there, then drop you and you go down again to the depths. My courage melted away, completely. At that point I could not save myself, “I cried out!”
In this storm they were like drunken men out of control, unable to save themselves. They were in a bad situation, they were at wits end.
How about you today? How is the situation that you find yourself in? Legal, Marriage, loss of job, loss of home, children out of control. Can’t stay in the house one more day, what to believe is going on, tired of hearing bad news. ?We all have our wits end.
?What will make the difference is what we do when we get there!!!
?We need to do what these sailors did, “cry out to the Lord”
Which brings us to my second point...
2) The Solution they Employed. V28
28 Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
“They cry out to the Lord” sometimes when were in a restaurant and we pray its more of a mumble... looking around smiling.
I am confident that if you were close by this boat you would clearly hear them crying out... when you’re at wits end there is no worries who hears you... you just need help.
Let’s look at some other examples from the bible.
? Moses Ex 15:23-25 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.
Now when you have 3 ½ million people who are grumbling for water and you don’t have it... you’re at wits end. “he cried out to the Lord.”
?Hanna 1Sam 1:10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. Hanna wanted a son so at her wits end she cried out to the Lord.
? Early Christians Acts 12:5-6 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.
There was no escape for Peter and the church was at its wits end to free him. So, what did they do? “earnestly praying to God for him” “Cried out”
The bible is full of people at their wits end who cried out to God for help. Why? Because God has given a special promise for people at Wits End.
Psalm 50:15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
ILL: I had always thought of hurricanes as something we could do without. Recently I learned that they are necessary to maintain the balance in nature. These tropical storms, with winds up to 150 miles an hour, accompanied by torrential rains, and lightning, can be devastating. Yet scientists tell us they are tremendously valuable. They dissipate a large percentage of the oppressive heat which builds up at the equator, and they are indirectly responsible for much of the rainfall in North and South America. Hurricanes actually do more good than harm.
Sadly, I believe this is also true for Christians. I believe we need storms sometimes to clean up our lives.
let me ask you, does it seem like every time we start to do good something else goes wrong? am I alone on this? Lol
ILL. A man was "Low on gas while on a vacation trip to Las Vegas, pulled his van into a service station. As he was turning in, he spied lying on the ground a gas cap that looked like it might replace his missing one. He hurriedly parked by the pump, jumped out of the van, ran over and picked up the cap. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it screwed easily onto his tank. A perfect fit, He thought. And then he noticed the keyhole in the top of the cap. "Poor guy”
But Isn't this the way life goes some times? "About the time you think you got everything in the bag, the bag bursts. It’s sad but sometimes God has to bring us to wits end for us to cry out to him for the solution.”
3) The Satisfaction they experienced. V28-31
29 He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So, He guides them to their desired haven. 31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
How did the Lord bring them out of their distress? “He calms the storm”
When we cry out to God there are three thing he will do...
1) He calms the storm v29 He will still the storms in our lives
2) they are glad v30 He will put the smile back on our face. When you’re at wits ends and you see the storm clam, the sky part and the sun shine through you will smile.
3) He guides them to their desired haven. V30b He will bring you safely to your desired haven.
God wants you and I to be happy. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts. Even when we don’t always understand his methods.
CLOSING ILL: The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island, it had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here? asked the weary man of his rescuers. ‘We saw your smoke signal, ‘they replied.
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God to meet you at “Wits End”
Let’s pray
