Storm-Tossed Family part 2

This morning in church we sang 'Raise a Hallelujah' and it talks about singing in the middle of the storm!

We are storm-tossed and singing louder and louder!

Jesus told the disciples to get in that boat – the day there was a great storm coming.  He knew it was going to happen and yet, he told them to get in that boat, and then he went to take a nap.  He knew what was coming, they followed His instructions, His direction, and then He went to NAP!

They experienced the worst storm of their lives.  They thought they would die.

 I have felt like I was going to die at times when we are going thru the storms of life.  This current storm has taken a toll on me. 

I have felt like Jesus is not paying attention and I’m over here in the storm of my life.  What I know, is Jesus can calm this storm and every other storm, with one word or one thought or one snap of the finger, and yet He is allowing us to ride the waves, see the danger, and feel the pain. 

When He is ready He can stop the madness.  The thing I don’t want is for Him to look at me when things calm down and say,

 “Where is your faith?”

We have covered too much ground, too much time, been through too many storms to be found without faith.

 I know my God is faithful and I want to come to the other side of this storm, in this life, or in the one to come, and say:

I KNEW IT!!! KNEW IT THE WHOLE TIME!!! 

I KNOW HIM!!!

 We were in God’s hands and in His presence the whole entire time!  I want to have faith through the storm and sing His praises in the storm and on the other side.

I want to jump up and down in praise and joy like watching my favorite underdog team with all odds against us, win a championship! 

I don’t want to be embarrassed that I lost my faith or abandon my team in the heat of the battle.

Whichever way we go, we are in this storm, the boat is rocking, and the lightning is striking.

 We can respond in faith or fear. 

However we look at it, God is in complete control and He is faithful – We can respond in worship, prayer, and praise or we can respond in defeat, depression and despair.

I’ve been in the fear and depression mode, and the storm is still strong, but now I am full of hope and feeling encouraged, for I know Jesus is in this boat with us and He is very aware of what is going on.  When He is good and ready, He will calm the storm.

 I want to be the one at that little event, screaming and cheering the loudest; not the embarrassed one who lost the faith halfway through.

Call me crazy if you must…

I would rather be in the boat with Jesus, in His presence, experiencing the worst storms of life, than sitting on a sandy beach with an umbrella drink, wondering what is going on out at sea, and waiting for the storm to hit at any second.

Either way, storms are part of life!!!

I want to be in the boat with Jesus, get to the other side with Him, where there is never–ending

SON

 beauty and warmth, with food and drinks that satisfy forever. 

We will be in His presence forever with all the others who risked the safety and comfort of this little temporary beach house vaca, for jumping in a boat with Jesus, riding out the crazy storms of life, seeing and celebrating His power and presence eternally!!!

Luke 8:22-25  (ESV)

Jesus Calms a Storm

²² One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, ²³ and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. ²⁴ And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. ²⁵ He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”