This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
Acts 2:23-24

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 
John 14:3

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I watched the snowplows weave seamlessly in and out of driveways from my townhouse window. The tires rotated every which way, unthreatened by the slippery mush underneath. Inches of snow seemed to pose no threat to the machines, clearing surfaces within minutes.

Growing up, my dad used tried and true shovels to clear the snow—his favorite’s handle holding on for dear life with silver masking tape. I would selfishly hope he wouldn’t ask me to help him. Plodding out in cold wet snow to clear a seemingly endless driveway seemed miserable.

Once in a while, he would ask for help, and I would trudge out in the storm. My bright orange shovel would dig into the powder-white mess, scooping it away as fast as I could which never seemed fast enough. I would put all my effort into clearing the driveway, only for it to get covered again.

Life dumps storms on us sometimes. Unwillingly, we trudge out into the cold and wind with the best tools we have. They’re not perfect, sometimes broken and mashed together, but we do the best with what we’ve got.

Jesus can be our snowplow. He is able to come during a storm and clear away the slush. He can move mounds of sadness and make them disappear with one command. Piles that would put our strength to the test are easy for Jesus.

While my homeowner’s association promises to clear my driveway, I never know when the plow is coming. The storm can rage on as the mess grows deeper and deeper. I do know they are coming though, and when they do, they will clear the heavy snow.

Jesus is coming back. We just don’t know when. While we wait, we can use the tools we have to weather our storms, resting in the fact that He isn’t sitting idle. He doesn’t leave us alone while we wait. His powerful Spirit, the same one that raised Him from the dead is with us. Jesus conquered death on the cross. He surely can conquer our storms.

Next Steps

1. Do you know someone going through a storm? Use the powerful tool of prayer and lift them up during this time.
2. Read Matthew 24:26-31 about Jesus’s Second Coming. What sticks out to you?