Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Led into the storm?


One of my Bible study leaders made a comment recently that in Mark chapter 4 the disciples were led out onto the lake right before the storm.

And I can't stop reflecting on that idea.

The water was probably calm when Jesus said to them, "Let's go over to the other side." They were all, "Sure" and then right as they get to the middle of the lake suddenly there are waves crashing over them and their boat's filling up with water.


I imagine they must have wondered why in the world Jesus would have led them out to the middle of the lake right before the storm.


Maybe they even said, "We obeyed, we did what he said, and look where it got us!"


or
"We are doing what He wanted us to, why is it so hard?"

"Why the storm?"


I've asked the same questions.

"God, we feel like you led us to start up this ministry, why then are we getting push-back from some leadership?"


"God, we know you led us to adopt a child from Ethiopia, why then has the wait time and number of trips required to do it doubled since we began the process?"


"God, I felt you leading me to take on this case with my volunteer job, why did you have to add the latest drama where to serve the children in the way I see best I had to put my own personal safety at risk? And why if that were to be the situation, did you feel the need to publish the danger of the place I'd been going on the front page of the newspaper?"

But when the disciples questioned Jesus, "do You not care that we are perishing?" He calmed the storm and replied, "Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?"

And so He says the same to me.


I must trust Him.

And yes, He does occasionally lead us right into the storm, so we can see him calm it,


or maybe so we learn to trust Him more.


One thing I know, next time my boat starts taking on water I'm following the example of Jesus -- I'm gonna take a nap!


Find more Thankful Thursday here.

11 comments:

  1. I really like your last paragraph! I may have to steal that (but I'll give you credit!). Have a great day!

    musings&meanderings-mlp@blogspot.com

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  2. Amen, I agree take a nap. I too have been though so many storms. All have had a purpose in my life and I have learned just to rest in them. I know God is always up to something :) So next time a storm comes take a nap and rest the the Lord, for He cares for you more than you know!
    Have a blessed day!

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  3. This was a really good posts which has truly made me think this morning. Not that I of course have not seen the Lord work through MANY storms in my life, because I of course hsve. But I have noticed that every time a new ones comes I STILL have to have my moment of "LORD, do you see what is happening? or LORD, don't leave us here. or LORD, calm this storm... I am going down." And He ALWAYS does. How much essier I could make it on myself if my FIRST response was, "Lord, I'll just be napping over here while you work this all out for your glory." I LOVE it!! Have a wonderful day. HUGS, Debbie

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  4. love, love your post. "i will take a nap"

    God bless.

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  5. Amen! I love that every time I read the same old Bible story God reveals something new that I never thought about before.

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  6. great! i sure needed to read this! a nap sounds really good right about now :D

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  7. sounds like grand advice take a nap and trust Jesus. Sometimes two very hard things to do but oh in the end we see that they are actually very easy

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  8. So true, He is the peace maker, always.

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  9. Very good post - gives us all something to think about. Have a great weekend.

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  10. Amen my friend.

    And praying against the enemy who is trying to defeat...

    Thank you for this encouraging word. Hugging you. See you again this Thursday. Hugs. Lynn

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  11. GREAT perspective...a great reminder...praying that your storms clear up soon!

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I'd love to hear what you think!