Good morning, on my facebook page was a link to fabulous song I pray you will check it out. For life, regardlss of our station, status, ministries and time with the Lord; will have stroms.
I love the account of the disciples of Jesus eeing the disciples in the midst of a sudden storm. Have you ever noticed that most stroms are sudden? Totally unexpected. In John 6:15-21 Jesus had withdran Himself from the crowd and discipes probably to spend time with His Father. He sent the twelve in small boat on the Sea of Capernaum. The boat was 26.5 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, 4.5 feet deep. So unless these men were really short, the sides must have hit them chest high. This boat could hold 20 people.
I taught this lesson to my 5-7 year olds and we walked off the measurements. To be hones, I am not sure I would want to be in this snug vessel under the best of conditions. A strom arose. What on earth was going through the disciples minds? How did they feel when Jesus sent them away, leaving them alone or so they thought. Ever feel like that, Jesus has left you alone? I have. The discples must have been elated or on a high after He feed all those people. Kinda like the perverbal mountain top experience. What usually happens, reality of this fallen world hits and hits hard for we are not mentally prepared to deal with it. We are floating along, doing what needs to be done without much thought because we are so full of feelings. Perfect set up for a strom.
Then, it hits, like a 2x4 hitting you along the head. Your heads spins, stomach cramps, clench your teeth, and you row your heart hurts from fear, you row until your muscles ache, exhauted from your own efforts to keep yourself from drowning and you don't think you can go on. Jesus appears in a distant. Can it be, my Lord? Naw its a ghost. Reason says that He is far off praying, He couldn't possibly know we are in trouble.
Jesus had called them for a specific work to do. Did you realize "fear" is at the core of most mental illness? Think of it; anorexia (fear of my body image) irrational yes, but it controls my feeling, motives and thoughts. Fear of returning cancer. Is it a reality, yes, but do we need to live,dwell in it? NO! For when fear is present, reason is thrown out the door. Had the disciples not been caught up in la-la land, they would have reasoned that if, He would have allowed them to persih, who would do His ministry? They were chosen, called, and being trained by the Master. But, being more trained by emtions than their mind, they permitted fear to take over. What did Jesus say in verse twenty? "It is I, do not be affraid."
How often do we chose, yes it is a choice to allow fear to catch us up into a full blown attach on our thoughts rather than using our POWER of reason and the Word to control our feelings? I was and at times guilty of this. Not as bad as I was im my first forty to fifty years, but on occasion it still happens. Now, at least for me, it not that this won'y happen, but how long will I give in to it becomes the question.
What is the solution? Inviting Christ into my situation like the twelve invited Him into their boat. They felt consricted by their surroundings, a very small boat. They allowed emotions to over ride reason and truth. They forgot Who had singled them out to be His ministeres. Chosen for hIs good work. Ar you chosen byu the Savior and Lord for His purposes? Do you react like the disciples when the stroms of life suddently appear? When this happens how long doe sit take you to dive into the Scriptures and prayer? Did you like His boys, create a hysterical think group? Or do you reason with one-another knowing the Lord always has His eyes on you. Nothing, no nothing can overtake you that He has either not designed or allowed.
Won't you ask Christ into your strom and small boat today, right now?
Just pray: "Lord, this is a sudden strom, not expected and took me unawares. But, unlike your men in their situation, help me to recognize my fear and cry out to you. You are in my midst, I invite you into my boat. Settle my heart and mind, so I can see what you have for me to learn and experince in my walk with you. Thank you now, for your peace even in the midst of this strom. You and You alone will see to it, that the calm is assured, as long as I walk obediently with you and not give sway to my emotions. Thank you!"
http://god-bless-you.org/?p=2389&ref=nf Listen to this song and remember the stroms of life do not take Jesus by surprise; it only does that to us. Let us live knowing we can and must invite Him into our situation for He understands it even if we do not. Rest in His arms today, you precious saint and let Him make yo effictive, not defective, for His work..
Now allow the stroms of life, pass.
"Great services reveal our possibilities, small services our consecration." George Morrison
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