Disquieted With Fears

That was some storm we had a couple of hours ago!

Oh that’s right, not all of you live in Northwest Florida.

What’s that? You never noticed the storm and you live here? You slept right through it?

Funny how sometimes we are awaken by a sudden and violent storm and other times we sleep right through them only to be told about it later.

That happened to the Disciples once. They are in the middle of a violent storm and Jesus is sleeping right through it. You remember the story:

    “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” (Matthew 8:23-27)

See their question? They still didn’t know who Jesus was. Easy now lest you judge them! You have a Bible and still don’t know who Jesus is. At least they went to Him when they were afraid. To whom or what do you turn when storms come?

We should at least know by now that as Christians we are no different than anyone else; we are going to face life’s storms. The difference should be is who do we turn to; in whom do you trust in the midst of a storm?

I love what Matthew Henry wrote about this passage:

    “It is a comfort to those who go down to the sea in ships, and are often in perils there, to reflect that they have a Savior to trust in and pray to, and to be n storms there. Those who are passing with Christ over the ocean of this world must expect storms. His human nature, like ours in everything but sin, was wearied, and He slept at this time to try the faith of His disciples. They, in their fear, came to their Master. Thus is it in a soul; when lusts and temptations are swelling and raging, and God is as it were asleep to it, this brings it to the brink of despair. Then it cries for a word from His mouth, Lord Jesus keep not silent to me, or I am undone. Many that have true faith are weak in it. Christ’s disciples are apt to be disquieted with fears in a stormy day; to torment themselves that things are bad with them, and with dismal thoughts that they will be worse. Great storms of doubt and fear in the soul, under the power of the spirit of bondage, sometimes end in a wonderful calm, created and spoken by the Spirit of adoption. They were astonished. They never saw a storm so turned at once into a perfect calm. He that can do this can do anything necessary to encourage confidence and comfort in him, in the most stormy day, within or without, Isaiah 26:4.”

The Prophet Isaiah teaches:

    “Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:4)

Storms can be scary. Funny how sometimes they so unsettle us and at other times fascinate us. Peter walked on the water in the middle of a storm, for a moment not focusing on the storm:

    “And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.’” (Matthew 14:28-33)

Peter saw the wind. Scaredy cat! Hey, at least he got out of the boat!

Look at you clinging to the side of the boat.

No more being a boat clinger or a boat potato as John Ortberg describes it. Time to do some water-walking!

Storms are scary and we will at times be disquieted with fears because of the storms, but when you find yourself in such a state, cry out to Jesus. He will admonish your spirit for your lack of faith, after He calms the storm. And you will marvel at His power.

But will you trust in it?

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

“If you’re receiving these devotionals for the first time and would like to receive them on a regular basis, please click here and use “Please add to Devotional List” as the subject.”

    Copyright © 2010 David Jeffers

Tags

, , , , , , ,