So right now it is 2:30am, the wind is blowing about 50knot easterly and I have just arrived home. Why you may ask? Well I'll tell you why.
After Bible Study at about 12 Kirk Perry called me and asked me if I would like to go for a night hike, so we did. We went to Swallowtail to enjoy the lovely weather. The wind was blowing so hard it blew the rail off of the bridge! I love the wind, my favorite element of nature. Also when I was driving down the back road, there was a huge tree completely blocking both sides of the road!
Anyway we sat out on the bench, Kirk prayed and it was really neat to think that in the midst of this crazy storm God had control and we were safe. I am reminded of a sermon I heard once while I was at Bethany.
There is an occasion in the Bible where Jesus is teaching, and after teaching, Jesus SENDS his disciples on ahead of Him in the boat. Notice Jesus does not go, but sends his disciples. During their trip a storm arises. Mark's Gospel says they were straining at the oars, John's Gospel said they had rowed about 3-3 1/2 miles. (How long do you suppose that would take) during the fourth watch of the night Jesus comes to them walking on the water. And we know how is roles from there, Peter gets cocky, steps out, sinks, Jesus saves the day because He is awesome. When Jesus steps back into the boat it says in Matthew that the wind died down.
Now I see the storms in this passage as the storms of life. Notice that Jesus sent the disciples into the boat. So when they were in the middle of the storm, they were in the middle of God's will for them at the same time. I think its pretty simple how it applies here, we can be in storms in life and in God's will at the same time.
Next, "they were straining at the oars". Now this would assume they were straining at the oars for most of the 3 miles. But why bother? Why would they?...Sometimes the rowing, the perseverance isn't to get through the storm, but it is to just keep the boat afloat until Jesus gets there. Could it be that sometimes in our life we need to just persevere until God comes and fulfills his plan for us? We need to persevere so when we have done the will of God we will get what He promised (Heb 10:36). The pointless rowing, isn't pointless, its just keeping our hope alive, our boat afloat til Jesus gets there.
And finally and most importantly, when Jesus steps into the boat, the winds died down. The storm seemed to be no more. God will rescue us from the storms of this life. He will! All that rowing, all that persevering, all that praying, all that pain that seems so much to be in vain. It is not in vain! God will conquer in the end. God is in control. The oars get heavier, the waves seem to get bigger with every second, but God is in control. It is possible to be in a storm and in God's will. But know that He will come and calm the storm.
After Bible Study at about 12 Kirk Perry called me and asked me if I would like to go for a night hike, so we did. We went to Swallowtail to enjoy the lovely weather. The wind was blowing so hard it blew the rail off of the bridge! I love the wind, my favorite element of nature. Also when I was driving down the back road, there was a huge tree completely blocking both sides of the road!
Anyway we sat out on the bench, Kirk prayed and it was really neat to think that in the midst of this crazy storm God had control and we were safe. I am reminded of a sermon I heard once while I was at Bethany.
There is an occasion in the Bible where Jesus is teaching, and after teaching, Jesus SENDS his disciples on ahead of Him in the boat. Notice Jesus does not go, but sends his disciples. During their trip a storm arises. Mark's Gospel says they were straining at the oars, John's Gospel said they had rowed about 3-3 1/2 miles. (How long do you suppose that would take) during the fourth watch of the night Jesus comes to them walking on the water. And we know how is roles from there, Peter gets cocky, steps out, sinks, Jesus saves the day because He is awesome. When Jesus steps back into the boat it says in Matthew that the wind died down.
Now I see the storms in this passage as the storms of life. Notice that Jesus sent the disciples into the boat. So when they were in the middle of the storm, they were in the middle of God's will for them at the same time. I think its pretty simple how it applies here, we can be in storms in life and in God's will at the same time.
Next, "they were straining at the oars". Now this would assume they were straining at the oars for most of the 3 miles. But why bother? Why would they?...Sometimes the rowing, the perseverance isn't to get through the storm, but it is to just keep the boat afloat until Jesus gets there. Could it be that sometimes in our life we need to just persevere until God comes and fulfills his plan for us? We need to persevere so when we have done the will of God we will get what He promised (Heb 10:36). The pointless rowing, isn't pointless, its just keeping our hope alive, our boat afloat til Jesus gets there.
And finally and most importantly, when Jesus steps into the boat, the winds died down. The storm seemed to be no more. God will rescue us from the storms of this life. He will! All that rowing, all that persevering, all that praying, all that pain that seems so much to be in vain. It is not in vain! God will conquer in the end. God is in control. The oars get heavier, the waves seem to get bigger with every second, but God is in control. It is possible to be in a storm and in God's will. But know that He will come and calm the storm.
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