Verse of the Day: Matthew 8:25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Memory of the Month: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Today's reading: GENESIS 27-28 MATTHEW 8:18-34
The Storm
Matthew chapter 8 has the account of Jesus calming the storm with His words. This account ends with these words: "...and there was great calm".
My Dad would sit on our front porch and watch as a storm approached. He would send us in the house and sit there quietly and watch while we watched from inside the house. He would sit there until he started getting wet and then come in. He was there to show his protection to us as small children. We knew as long as daddy was between us and the storm, we were o.k. That is what we thought, anyway and we were never hurt during a storm. The strange thing is, I don't remember a storm without my Dad on the porch. I know there were some times when he was not there but I do not recall them.
How many storms(physical, emotional, spiritual) of your life can you remember when you cried out to God for help? Whether you cried out or not, The Lord was always on your 'porch'. He never leaves. Sometimes the storms wreck the house and He is always there to put it back in order. But why does He let it happen?
You would not be who you are without the storms and the recovery from them-plain and simple. Some, in anger, will say, "I could believe in Him a lot easier without all that pain!" Maybe...not.
My dad would sit as the storm approached and then what? He would come inside with us-and together, we would ride out the storm.
Storms are a certainty in life. God's presence is a guarantee. His love endures forever.
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Psalm 136:1 ►Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.
The disciples in the boat were afraid they were going to drown. Jesus knew better. After that storm, do you think the disciples ever woke Jesus up again? Sure they did. Every Time they had a problem, they went to Him because they knew he could fix it all.
Jesus is on the inside to give us strength through the storms. Jesus really wants us to experience the great calm. Most of us know the great calm after the storm but how many of us know the calm in the midst of the storm? This is the peace that passes all understanding.
Philippians 4: 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.…
Whatever it is, really stormy weather, really tough emotional storms-whatever it is-take it to God and talk to Him about. It cannot be too big or too little because God is there for it all and what God wants is for us to be conscious of Him through all of it-to know He is in the boat. If we acknowledge Him in all things, this is when his inexplicable peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ as we learn to think on praiseworthy and excellent things. Jesus is our eye in the storm-he is our Father on the porch-He is our complete peace.
Why?
...because He loves us...
Father in Heaven,
Forgive my fear of trials. I know You never leave us. Teach me to depend more and more on You.
Comments