First Sunday of Advent

Waiting in the Storm

Jeremiah 33:44–16
Luke 21:25–36

by Margaret Fenton Lebeck

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.”

—Luke 21:25–27 (NSRVUE)

No one knew what to expect of a hurricane headed for the Blue Ridge Mountains. As the sun set, the valleys were already filling with water. In the dark, we waited for the worst of Hurricane Helene to begin early Friday morning. With no communication systems, no power, rising water, and damage all around, we could reach only our closest neighbors—if anyone at all.

Stories of swift-moving water, incredible rescues, and catastrophic destruction all waited to be told. My husband, a paramedic, rode out the storm near the river headwaters at the far end of the county. It was three days before he could drive an ambulance over the ridge to see if we were alive. It was five days before we could tell anyone else we were.

Nothing could have prepared us for emerging into the collective loss in our communities for the long days without power, water, food, shelter, and communications. The “fear and foreboding” that accompanied the very start of the storm sits with us still—the road to recovery is unimaginable and years away. Luke’s description of Emmanuel emerging from this chaos offers us hope. Where we once thought of ourselves waiting alone in the storm, we will find a savior with us in the days ahead.

Prayer
We have been waiting in darkness with impatience.
Perhaps it is only in darkness that we can see light.
The hope of generations emerging from the storm—a savior.
Accompany us on the path ahead.
O come, o come, Emmanuel.
Amen.

Margaret Fenton Lebeck is a lifetime United Methodist and a member of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference. She is the Executive Director of Housing Assistance Corporation, which continues to provide critical home repair and build new, affordable housing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The main photo is from the 2024 Daily Prayer Guide.