But Jesus said to him, Follow Me, and leave the dead [in sin] to bury their own dead.
And after He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
And suddenly, behold, there arose a violent storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered up by the waves; but He was sleeping.
Matthew 8:22-24
As I was reading this passage of scripture something caught my attention. The word says, after Jesus got into the boat, His disciples got into the boat and suddenly there arose a violent storm! Not just a storm but a violent storm. Why did Jesus go on to the boat then? In fact why did He allow the disciples to follow Him onto the boat?? I am sure He knew a storm would come. They could of stayed on land until the storm passed but instead He went on to the boat! The disciples had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
It is not easy following Jesus. A lot of people think it is but it’s not! Following Jesus doesn’t guarantee a pain free life. In fact it might mean more challenges and more trouble but why???
The answer is found further down in the scripture I shared. The disciples were freaking out. They thought they were in mortal danger!!! (Matthew 8:25)
And that is the thing about this walk we have chosen. The danger is real. The trials are real. The troubles we face can take us out! As the disciples thought they would die so it is with us. But Jesus had a plan. He wasn’t taking them into the storm for the fun of it. He wanted to teach them something. He wanted them to learn something.
And He said to them, Why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great and wonderful calm (a perfect peaceableness). Matthew 8:26
Jesus equated their fear and timidity for a lack of faith!!! Very interesting….They were not over reacting when they were asking Jesus to save them. The storm was real, the boat was sinking so one would think their reaction was totally normal but no, Jesus equated it to lack of faith!!!!
In the storm we need to trust God. He is the ONLY One who can get us out of it. The only One!!
Your foreboding and anxious thoughts and your fear are showing Him how much you DON’T trust Him!!
Fear is a natural response to danger but how we respond when fear comes is important.
I want you to know, Jesus is with you in the storm. He wants your faith. Will you stop looking at the magnitude of the storm and turn to Him in faith? He will save you. He wants to strengthen your faith in Him. He is good. He does not allow storms into our lives for the fun of it. He has a plan.
Rolain
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