My wife looked at me as though I was crazy when I left the house this morning. The schools, and many other buildings are currently shut down because of the threat of an ice storm, but I saw that it was not yet frozen. The Temperature is currently dropping but I felt I had some things to do, and it required solitude. Why am I saying all of this? In spite of inclement weather, life must go on. I could easily (or not so easily, as all four kids are home from school today) have done everything from home today, but I felt that, while I am able, I needed to have my time alone with the Father, and the church would be a quiet place. Why do I say all of this? What’s the point of it? Many of us are facing storms, some of them severe. Some of us are going through the hardest experiences we’ve ever gone through. Yet, we’re still here. Wallowing in our misery, looking at the storm, can stop us dead in our tracks and keep us from the joy and enjoyment of the presence of the Lord.
I consider the Disciples who went through two storms with Jesus. In one storm, they were sent ahead, and He joined them, walking to them out in to the water in the middle of the storm. Peter, who cried out to him, was called out to join Christ on the water. Yet, looking at the wind and the waves, Peter began to sink. Christ, rescuing distraught Peter, asked “you of little faith, why did you doubt?” A second time, the Disciples were sailing when a sudden storm came upon them. Jesus was asleep in the boat. The Disciples asked “Lord, don’t you care that we are about to die?” Jesus awoke, rebuked the wind, the waves, and then His disciples for their lack of faith.
Whatever you’re facing today, you’re not alone. Jesus’ disciples doubted, even as He was physically in their presence. Some of us may even face death, either today, or on a daily basis. Just know that Christ is with you. He is there in your pain, your loss, and even until the last breath. We just have to hold on to Him, so that we may seek His face in all of it. There is sorrow in this world, but with Jesus, there is also Joy in all of it. This is why I will praise and serve the Lord, even as I face the storms that life brings.
Matthew 14:22-33
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Mark 4:35-41
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
