“ees-ah-EE-ahs” – Great Name for a Hurricane!
August 2, 2020
The second hurricane in the 2020 storm season, and the 2,020th plague of 2020 (I have lost count) is named Isaias (pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs). What a great name for a hurricane as it is a Spanish-Latin derivative of the Hebrew name of an Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, which means God is my salvation!
Isaias is the current storm threatening the east coast of the United States and it has provided a chuckle or two as I have listened to various people pronounce the name. We can guess that newscasters and meteorologists have had to practice how to say this name and there is probably a lot of tape on the blooper floor as many have said it correctly in one moment only to mispronounce it in the next!
While the name, and even the storm, may present many challenges, and yet another worthy concern of 2020, the meaning of the name, and the God who is sovereign over the skies and what comes out of them, is very comforting. Our storms and trials of this life are not random occurrences over which God has no control, and God has not abandoned us in those times as He reminds us that our life is in His hands.
Psalm 31: 15a – “My times are in your hand;”
It is interesting to note that storms are named by the World Meteorological Organization which uses a list of male and female names on a six-year rotation. However, the names of deadly and costly storms are retired from being used (Andrew, Hugo, Irene, Katrina).
We do not know the outcome of Isaias at this moment, but I do know that the God of my salvation will never retire!
I hope you will take the time to read the words of this 18th century hymn, written by John Ryland and which was inspired by Psalm 31: 15. Indeed, God is the Sovereign Ruler over the Skies!
SOVEREIGN RULER OF THE SKIES
1. Sovereign Ruler of the skies!
Ever gracious, ever wise!
All my times are in Thy hand,
All events at Thy command.
2. His decree, who formed the earth,
Fixed my first and second birth;
Parents, native place and time,
All appointed were by Him.
3. He that formed me in the womb,
He shall guide me to the tomb;
All my times shall ever be
Ordered by His wise decree.
4. Times of sickness, times of health,
Times of penury and wealth;
Times of trial and of grief,
Time of triumph and relief.
5. Times the tempter’s power to prove,
Times to taste a Savior’s love:
All must come, and last and end,
As shall please my heavenly Friend.
6. Plagues and deaths around me fly,
Till He bids I cannot die:
Not a single shaft can hit
Till the God of love thinks fit.
7. O Thou Gracious, Wise and Just,
In Thy hands my life I trust:
Have I somewhat dearer still?
I resign it to Thy will.
8. May I always own Thy hand
Still to the surrender stand;
Know that Thou art God alone,
I and mine are all Thine own.
9. Thee, at all times, will I bless;
Having Thee, I all possess;
How can I bereaved be,
Since I cannot part with Thee?
“Sovereign Ruler of the Skies”
Words by John Ryland (1777)
Music by William Henry Monk (1823–1889)
©Public Domain