“But the boat was now in the middle of the sea,tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”
Matt 14:22-33
Storms come and go in everyone’s life. We can’t choose when they come, how bad they are, or how long they last. All we can do is be prepared. And they always seem to hit at the worst possible time, don’t they? Look at these guys:
- They were in the middle of a storm. Ferocious storms remind us how powerful the forces of nature really are and how powerless we are to control them. We’ve all been there. Caught up in circumstances way over our heads and way too big for us to handle. In the middle of the storm it’s easy to lose sight of our initial destination and totally lose our way.
- They were in the middle of the lake. Far from solid ground and far from the familiar footing of the shoreline. When caught in a storm at sea the immediate realization is that you are all alone. No one will come to your aid even if they could find you in the midst of this vast angry world.
- They were in the middle of the night. In the dark our fears seem to grow ten times bigger! Things we could have handled in the daytime can frighten and overwhelm us in the nighttime. And fear clouds our ability to even make the right decisions and navigate our way home.
In this story the boat represents all that is safe, secure and familiar in our lives. The boat we know – the deeps we don’t. The deep represents the unknown, the danger, the risky. What’s the good news in all of this? Easy.
- No matter how bad the storm gets, Jesus is still right there with you!
- No matter how bad the storm gets, Jesus is still greater than the storm!
- No matter how bad the storm gets, Jesus can lift you above the waves and keep you safe!
- No matter how bad the storm gets, Jesus can turn it into one of the greatest miracles of your life!
So instead of clinging to your boat and praying for the storm to end, maybe Jesus is out there in the middle of it all, calling you to come and walk with him over the waves to a whole new level of adventure in God.
