Is God in Your Boat?

 

~~~ Genesis 19:15-29 ~~~ Psalm 26 ~~~ Matthew 8:23-27 ~~~

 

The disciples followed Jesus into the boat...a boat that belonged to one of them.

They followed him into a familiar space which is often not the case.

 

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.

 

Jesus was with them in this familiar place when a violent storm arose.

So many times I heard asked, 'Why would God allow ___ or ___ to happen?'

But here he is leading the way into the boat...

into the waters they had fished in many times.

Is God in your boat of life?

Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;

 

Jesus was there with them but still the storm descended upon them.

Why did he not wake up immediately?

but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

 

Jesus waited for them to come to him.

He was awakened by their desperate cries for help.

Their cries rose above the stormy winds.

“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

 

Perishing is a strong word...this was a violent storm...

they were in a fragile vessel on the open waters.

Perish...to suffer death in a violent, sudden way...

complete and utter destruction.

He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”

 

Jesus calmly responds to their terror with questions about their faith.

He was by their side...in their boat...

a place they had been together many times before,

but they were still afraid for their life.

Trust the Lord in all things great and small, good and bad.

Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.

 

Have you ever seen the waters completely still?

A 'great calm' on the water reflects the surrounding beauty and the blue sky above.

It is during the violent storms in life that we are faced

with the depth of our faith and the trust we have in God.

Is your faith strong enough?

How will you know if it is never put to the test?

 

 

He heard their cries for help and got up.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

 

What sort of man calms the seas they ask;

a man who is also God.

There is no storm too great that he can not calm it.

He is all powerful, but we must exercise our belief in this truth.

 

Whatever violent storms are raging in your life today;

ask God to give you his peace.  Ask him to calm all of your fears.

 

Blessings come amidst the raging waters as well as the subsequent calm.

It is only after the rain that we are able to see the colors in the sky.