At that point, perhaps more than any other time, they realized with everything in them that This WAS Jesus. Did they understand Him completely? NO. Would they question Him again? YES. Would there be other storms? Of course!
For this one moment in time, however, nothing else in all the world mattered.
I always find that verse interesting. These were the disciples. These guys had left everything to follow Him. Jesus gave them authority to cast out demons. I don’t have that authority. These guys had a front row seat to all the best of Jesus’ teachings. Some of them wrote books of the Bible.
Jesus had a way of building a relationship with sinners, without condemning them, giving them an example of holiness, but fully convincing them that He loved and cared for them as individuals. He is the guy I want to follow as my example.
Consider this question: What if your biggest problems are really just an easy fix for Him, but you have never trusted Him enough to work His will? Sometimes we underestimate His power and His love. Sometimes He has the solution, but we are too busy trying to find it without Him that we never get to His solution for us. James wrote in the Bible, “You don’t have because you don’t ask…”. Could that be your problem today?
The question for me at this stage of my life is not why the storms come, but how am I going to allow God to use them to make me into who He wants me to be? Are you asking that question?
Over the next several days of posts I want to walk through a Scripture that has shaped my life over the years. I preached on this passage recently. You can listen or watch that message HERE. I intend to walk through this familiar passage verse by verse and share my thoughts along the way. Feel free to add your own as we learn together.
Feel free to answer this question now: What are you trusting and asking God to do in your life right now?
Of course, this verse refers to the famous march through the middle of the waters by that powerful leader we know as Moses. Can you imagine how the Israelites felt? They had escaped the years of slavery and persecution to head for what they thought was a chance at real freedom and along came the Pharoah’s finest, ready to put them on the chopping block. Needless to say they were slightly disappointed. Never at a loss for tricks, Moses summoned God, who told them to go through the center of the sea. Yea, right? Yet as strange as that may have sounded at the time the people enter the “water” on dry ground! I know, it doesn’t make sense, but that is what happened, read it for yourself if you don’t believe me. (Exodus 14)
This is not just good advice for business leaders. This is good advice for pastors, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers….well, pretty much all of us. In fact, some might argue that those three words are necessary for one to become a believer in Christ. I must be willing to admit I’ve messed up before I can recognize and believe the gift of Christ’s sacrifice on my behalf.
Please know this, God will allow times of struggle greater than YOUR ability to handle it. He allows these times so that you might learn to fully and completely rely on Him. Apart from Him you and I can do nothing. When you and I learn that principle and live accordingly we will be free to experience His power, which is perfected in our weakness.
