Storm Facer Meet The Storm Chaser

Mark 4:35-41(NIV)

Jesus Calms the Storm

³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Hey, do you have any storms in your life?  I do. My wife does. All our children do. Our grandchildren do.  As a matter of fact, everyone of the people in the church I attend are facing a really big old bugger bear of a storm in a very short while. Greater still, millions of folks are about to be slapped straight on with one whale of a hurricane, named Irma, who could give each one a fairly significant scare if we let it.

Now Irma didn't sneak up on us.  She gave us plenty of warning.  We saw her coming from thousands of miles away, and our weather forecasters kept estimating -- rather incorrectly -- just where this "young lady" might land here in the Great State of Florida. No, she didn't exactly surprise us ... sort of. BUT a whole bunch of us didn't anticipate she would be where she is right now.  And this is a bit scarey getting  "sort of" surprised or caught off guard here at the last moments of Irma's life.

By the way, don't make the disciples' mistake of thinking a storm like this "dear lady" has caught our Lord off guard. No, Jesus was not thrown into a heavenly tizzy about Irma's abrupt changes in her course of life.  It is kind of like when he was sleeping in a boat once in the midst of a storm, but not because he didn't care or was not unaware.  He was, and is, full of a thing called faith.  Just because some of us don't feel he is steering our boat of life through its storms, does not mean he isn't paying attention to our situations. Nor does it mean he doesn't care, which is what the early disciples thought when at their storm they stared.  After all didn't they ask him, "Lord don't you care if we drown?" Sure he cared, and he knew, for a fact, that their worst mind originated horror was not going to happen. So, he actually worked things out for them. The problem wasn't with Jesus not being ready, willing and able.

The problem was with people letting their fear focus on dangerous circumstances overwhelm their faith focus on the Lord. So, they finally focused their fear on the Lord, rather than on their own circumstances, and they asked him an honest question to which he responded in a rather extraordinary and honest way.  The end result of them having an honest conversation with him, changed their whole perspective on life. It actually changed their lives. They spoke up, Jesus woke up, took care of what needed to be taken care of, and then he also  had an honest conversation with them about their lack of faith.   Either way, he was bigger than the storm they faced.

I have a strong need to let you know something, and I hope it encourages you: Jesus is much bigger that the Cat-4 storm we face named Irma as well.

Focus the locus of your focus on Jesus. He really can help you resolve whatever circumstances you are facing. This is a whole lot better than focusing on all the stuff that makes you feel like you are not enough, and that you might just die.  Get honest with God about what is own your heart, your own life, your own doubts, even your own fears as a storm facer. As the love of my life once said very correctly, "God has big shoulders. He can take it." Then watch God help you as the ONE who is greater than anything life will throw at you. Never forget, if you follow Jesus, he is in your life's boat with you.  You are NOT alone. So, get honest with God, and have a "little talk with Jesus." Your perspective and your life, eventually, may change in ways you cannot imagine.

Stay dry now. Ya hear?

SoJourner