Psalm 107: 23 - 43
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters; 24 They have seen the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. 25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; their soul melted away in their misery. 27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, and were at their wits' end. 28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distresses. 29 He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad because they were quiet, so He guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! 32 Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him at the seat of the elders.
33 He changes rivers into a wilderness and springs of water into a thirsty ground; 34 a fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He changes a wilderness into a pool of water and a dry land into springs of water; 36 and there He makes the hungry to dwell, so that they may establish an inhabited city, 37 and sow fields and plant vineyards, and gather a fruitful harvest.
38 Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly, and He does not let their cattle decrease. 39 When they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, misery and sorrow, 40 He pours contempt upon princes and makes them wander in a pathless waste. 41 But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction, and makes his families like a flock. 42 The upright see it and are glad; but all unrighteousness shuts its mouth. 43 Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things, and consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD.
Businessmen live lives of high exposure. They must relate successfully to governments with all of their endless taxes, bureaucracies, rules and regs. They have to be marketers, designers, experts in sales and customer relations. Then there are HR issues, money matters, and on it goes. The psalmist compares it all to metaphors of the sea. God is always in control of the sea and the weather and He doesn’t mind mixing it up a little. He speaks of a stormy wind that raises the waves up to the heavens, then they drop to the depths. The storm’s severity makes the passengers reel and stagger like a drunken man bringing them to their wits end. They cried to the Lord in their troubles and He brought them out of their distresses. He caused the storm to be still so the waves were hushed. They were glad for the calm sea and He guided them to their desired haven.
Now it’s time for thanksgiving to the Lord for His lovingkindness. Businessmen may or may not be literally dealing with ocean-scale trouble, but they ride the waves of circumstances that sometimes seem life-threatening. If you’re trying to run a business on cash-flow as opposed to operating capitol, you know the meaning of stress. But you also know what it is to pray and believe God for His deliverance as He brings you out at the last second and establishes your feet on solid ground.
Keep in mind who God is. He can build up and tear down, make the strong weak, and the weak triumphant. As He does this He usually offers no explanation so you have to rely on Him knowing He won’t make a mistake.
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