I recently listened to a message by Andy Stanley. In this message he talks about Jesus calming the storm. This is an event that is recorded by Mark but told by Peter.
"But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water."
Can you imagine the fear the disciples felt at this point? They were helpless to do anything about the storm. They were at the storm's mercy (or so they thought).
But heres's the thing, the disciples were not alone. Jesus was in the boat with them. Peter tells Mark, "Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion (I love that detail).
Even after all they had seen Jesus do, their fear took over. Peter said they woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" (An interesting point here is that they called him "Teacher" which indicates they did not truly see Him as their Savior...yet).
Jesus woke up and rebukes the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!"
Suddenly there was great calm.
I love what He did and didn't do next. He didn't reprimand the disciples for their lack of faith. He didn't yell at them. He asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (And knowing Jesus the way I do, I hear Him saying it in a loving and concerned voice).
Peter says that he and the disciples were absolutely terrified. They said, "Who is this man? Even the wind and waves obey Him."
Andy Stanley shares the following points from this passage: Fear and faith are 2 sides of the same coin. At that point the disciples put their faith in the storm. They couldn't see past the storm to see that Jesus, the one in charge of the storm, was in their boat with them.
How does this apply to us? Well, will we put our faith in a global pandemic? Are we trusting this global pandemic to determine our destiny? Have we placed our confidence in a virus?
Sounds ridiculous, I know. But if we are focused on the virus, constantly questioning and trying to figure out what will happen, then we are putting our faith in the virus. If we are allowing this virus to chart our course then we have put our faith in it.
Jesus is asking us, "Why are you trusting in the storm (virus)? Why not trust Me instead?"
Jesus is in our boat. I absolutely believe that. I have to remind myself of that often. But I do believe it.
Let that TRUTH wash over you today. He is in your boat. He will never leave you or forsake you. Fix your eyes on Him.
