Introduction

We all face ‘storms’, they are inevitable to life. What matters is how we prepare ourselves beforehand in order to live through them and emerge on the other side.

In each challenging situation we face, the test for us is the same: how will we stand? Only a full assurance of who our God is and who He has called us to be through Jesus’ blood will enable us to stand strong in Him as well as reach out an arm offering the certain hope of the gospel to others who are floundering.

These storms and challenges offer us real opportunities to shine the Light of Life we carry in our hearts. But it will not shine if our foundation is unstable and we do not know the nature, promises, character and faithfulness of our covenant-keeping God. These things are the true hope of the gospel the people around us need too.

Some years ago, I found a photograph of a lighthouse standing strong in the midst of an angry swirling sea. The waves were so high they reached half-way up the side of the building. When I looked more closely, I could see the lighthouse keeper standing in the doorway with his arms folded and every appearance of calm and peace. This image really spoke to me and since then I have been taken on a journey with God which I now share with you in Walking with God Through the Storm.

Please have a Bible or Bible app, and a notebook and pen, handy as you go through this devotional.

Sarah Winbow

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Reshaping Is Necessary

Read Matthew 25; Luke 5:36-39

On a return visit to Lundy with a small team of people in February 2012, the Lord repeatedly emphasised to us that the institutional Church in our nation was on the rocks; at some point it would collapse and break up and this would be God’s doing.

The Lord said there would be no mending of the situation; the old, outdated structure would be brought to complete wreckage in order for a new shape to emerge.

In an extraordinary joint waking vision two of our number saw an earthquake split the floor of the parish church and EVERYTHING in the structure of the institution that had become the church – the pulpit, choir stalls, altar, reredos, font etc. – fell into the chasm. It crumbled at its foundations. The Lord said there would be no mending of the situation; the old, outdated structure would be brought to complete wreckage in order for a new shape to emerge.

We understood God was showing us that at some point the Church itself would experience such a pruning and re-shaping that it would no longer look, think or act the same as before. It would no longer be an organisation, but a living breathing organism characterised by unconditional love and compassion rather than ritual or liturgy. Believers would become kingdom-minded rather than church-building focused and be found more on the streets and gathered in small groups in homes rather than in traditional buildings.

Whilst this reshaping has to some extent been happening since the 1960s, when we witnessed some believers leaving the traditional denominations and begin to form house groups or house churches, no-one could have foreseen the suddenness with this practice became more widespread across the world following Covid ‘lockdowns’ in 2020, when institutional churches were forced to close their doors for many months on end and many churchgoers never returned to them after they reopened.

Believers would become kingdom-minded rather than church-building focused and be found more on the streets and gathered in small groups in homes rather than in traditional buildings.

This vision of the reshaped Church was given at the exact time as I was being lit up like a beacon in the Old Light (see Day 1). As we came together afterwards and shared our remarkable stories, we came to understand the message. Those who had learned the importance of obedience to the Father’s moment-by-moment leading would become like beacons of hope and light in the midst of the increasing darkness; thereby directing those they met into the safety, security and refuge of the Lighthouse i.e., a relationship with God through Jesus.

However, we sensed that this Holy Spirit led, counter-culture activity would lead to increasing levels of opposition both from the established institutional Church trying desperately to save itself from collapse, as well as from wider secular society.

Additional reading: Acts 2:38-47.

Prayer Time:

Reflect on Matthew 25:1-13.

we sensed that this Holy Spirit led, counter-culture activity would lead to increasing levels of opposition both from the established institutional Church trying desperately to save itself from collapse, as well as from wider secular society.

• What is this referring to? Who is the Bridegroom?
• Who are the virgins?
• Is this speaking of a wholly practical preparation like Noah’s, or might the oil be representative of something else; if so then what?
• Could this be related to why the Church must be re-shaped?

Talk to God about the challenges He has shown you.

Other devotionals in this series can be accessed here.