Those are the only words I wrote in my journal this morning.
This is going to be a bit longer than my regular morning posts. Please read it through.
Up very early this morning praying for folks, folks going through storms. Not necessarily a literal storm like a toronado, hurricane or torrential rain, although that may be your storm, but any storm that brings fear into your life.
The wind of fear may be stirring up waves and ready to swamp your boat. Your boat may be finances, relationships, health, children, grandchildren, government, politics, employment, abandonment or loneliness.
You’ve tried to keep the boat on course. You see the land ahead of you, a place of shelter and refuge but a huge wind has come up and the waves are beating hard against the sides of the boat. The waves are crashing in on you and no matter how hard you row, no matter how powerful the engine of self sufficiency you find that your travel is impeded and it looks like you might sink.
Have you been there? Oh, I have! It’s a desperate feeling especially when everyone you know and depend on for help is either too busy sailing their own ship through life or they are completely unaware of your plight.
I heard it said once that there are 365 verses in the Bible that tell us to “not worry or be anxious”. God’s message is that there may be fear everyday trying to invade our lives but we can be of good cheer because He is in our boat and He will calm our seas.
There’s a story in the book of Mark. Jesus had been teaching all day. He had told the folks that God’s word was like a seed and when that seed is planted in our hearts that it will grow and bring a harvest. He also told them that some folks had hard hearts so the seed wouldn’t be able to germinate and that some hearts were stony so the seed would start to grow and die out because it couldn’t get good root and then there were some hearts that would have seed begin to grow and that weeds of fear, offense and worry would choke the Word, the seed. But He also told them that some hearts were good soil and the seed would grow well there.
When He finished this story Jesus said to his disciples that they should get in the boat and go to the other side. He gave them seed, going to the other side of the lake seed. So they all got in the boat, Jesus found a good place to lay down and He went to sleep. And just like Jesus had told them in the story about the seed immediately the fear came (the storm) to steal the seed so it wouldn’t grow.
These seasoned fishermen battled the storm for all they were worth and when they were exhausted and afraid they woke Jesus.
“That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the east side.” 36 So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. 37 Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.
38 Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”
39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm. 40 Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?” 41 Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41 CEV
Their question was don’t you care – aren’t you worried. We are going to drown. Their storm was too big, their fear was overwhelming. But you see Jesus was still holding on to that “going-to-the-other-side” seed so He spoke to the storm and it stopped!
So now I want to give you some “no more fear” seed.
“The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.” II Timothy 11:7 ERV
“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ERV
Father, thank you for showing us how to give you our fears. Thank you for quieting our storms and getting us safely to the other side.
I TRUST YOU!