Tag Archives: calm

THE BOOK OF ACTS – IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

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CHAPTER 21

IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

“And so, with the tearful goodbyes behind us, we were on our way. We made a straight run to Cos, the next day reached Rhodes and then Patara. There we found a ship going direct to Phoenicia, got on board, and set sail. Cyprus came into view on our left, but was soon out of sight as we kept on course for Syria, and eventually docked in the port of Tyre. While the cargo was being unloaded, we looked up local disciples and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given them by the Spirit, was “Don’t go to Jerusalem.'” Acts 21:1-4 (The Message).

Was the Holy Spirit a bit mixed up? It looks like it at first reading. Did He give Paul one message and the believers in Tyre another? Since we know that the Holy Spirit would not do that, it is more likely that He was alerting Paul’s friends to pray for him, rather than stop him from going to Jerusalem.

As well-meaning as they were, they could not deter Paul from the course he had chosen, regardless of the cost. He knew that God wanted him to go to Jerusalem. He obeyed, not knowing then that it was the way to Rome, and Rome was his goal. It might seem a devious route but God knew the reasons and implications of that way. There was no other way for Paul to gain entrance to the household of Caesar but through imprisonment and, through it, to influence the entire palace guard for Jesus.

“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of my brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the Word of the Lord more courageously and fearlessly.” Philippians 1:12-14 (NIV).

Paul did have to suffer hardship, danger and imprisonment but God was always with him, protecting him from the hatred of fanatical Jews and ensuring that he followed the right course for Rome. Plots to kill him were thwarted more than once and, strangely enough, it was the Roman government that protected him and gave him safe passage out of Jerusalem, offering him the benefits of a justice system that put the lid on the intentions of Jewish radicals.

Sometimes he was only a hairsbreadth from death, but he knew that, as long as he was in the hands of God, he was indestructible until he had fulfilled God’s purpose for him. A long life of living on a knife edge but secure in the hands of a loving Father, had taught him to rest in Him in spite of his circumstances.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NIV).

For Paul this was not theory, and there is no way he could have written these words had he not experienced the hard reality of the difficulties, suffering and trials that gave birth to such security in God. It is only a person, like Paul, who refuses to give credit to the devil for his circumstances and lives in the awareness of God’s love, that can emerge from the worst that life can produce and still declare: “I am convinced that nothing can separate me from the love of God.’

There is a place of calm in the eye of the storm. We can only find that place if we choose to rest in the perfect love of God regardless of the whispered lies of the devil to discredit the intentions of our Father God.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 (NIV).

Who Is This?

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WHO IS THIS?

That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him.

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was on the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him. ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!’ (Mark 4: 35-41).

Such a familiar story that it hardly moves us any more. Of course we know who this is – Jesus, the Son of God!

But put yourself in the shoes of these twelve men. They thought that they were learning to be disciples of the latest graduate from the Beth Talmid. However, they soon began to realise that, in following Jesus they had bitten off more than they could chew. He just was not what they expected.

First of all, He was unpredictable. Just when they thought they were with a very successful rabbi, crowds following Him, amazing teaching flowing from Him, He took off for another place and started all over again. Why didn’t He stay in one place and build His ministry where He was successful?

Then He kept falling foul of the authorities. Sometimes it was quite embarrassing – the way they attacked Him and the way He talked back to them. Fairly undressed them with His words! One thing they realised – He was smart. The religious types tried to get the better of Him but they could not get it right. He always had an answer right out of the Torah and, enraged though they became, the boffins knew in their hearts that He was right. This didn’t make for good relations with the authorities. Somehow His disciples knew that He would overstep the mark and the religious leaders would get Him.

But He didn’t seem to care. He had His own agenda and no amount of antagonism or opposition He aroused seemed to slow Him down. It was as though He was being guided from another source – not His circumstances but a Person with whom He was in intimate contact all the time.

Did He know, when He decided to go on a boat ride, that He was about to take His men into a crisis? Why put their lives in danger? He knew very well how the weather behaved on the Galilean lake – one moment bright sunshine and calm, the next a furious wind whipping up huge waves on the water. Perhaps He wasn’t aware of what was about to happen. After all, didn’t He take things as they came?

He was worn out after all the teaching and healing and clamouring crowds, desperate people all wanting attention. He also needed to take time out and where better than on the other side of the lake where He could escape the people for a little while? The boat had hardly set sail when He fell asleep on a cushion. How considerate of Peter to have a cushion in the boat just for Him!

Then the wind began to blow. Clouds gathered and blotted out the sunlight. The once sunny sky turned dark and gloomy. The calm water was whipped up into mountainous waves. The tiny craft rose and dipped like a cork on the water. The frightened men tried desperately to keep the boat facing the waves so that they would not be swamped and capsize but, in spite of their experience and their strength, these seasoned fisherman were losing the battle.

And Jesus slept through it all! How could He sleep in the midst of such a furore? The disciples were not only afraid, they were indignant. Didn’t He care about them? At least He could help them although He didn’t know anything about sailing a boat!

They shook Him awake with a sharp rebuke. “Don’t you care what happens to us?” Jesus nonchalantly stood up and spoke to the storm. Just like that! How would that help? “Be quiet!” He commanded the wind. “Be still!” He rebuked the waves. And it happened. One minute they were up on a crest and down in a trough and the next, perfect calm, clouds gone, sun out as though it had never happened.

The disciples were stunned. How did He do that? Another startling experience to add to their list of baffling questions. Who was this Man? Then He turned on them. “What is wrong with you guys? Why are you so scared? Don’t you trust me?” Was this the reason for this outing – to expose them to another aspect of their Master so that they would grow an unshakeable trust and conviction that He was, indeed, the Son of God?

One day they would have to answer His question, “Who do you say that I am?”

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Speak To Your Storm!

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SPEAK TO YOUR STORM!

“One day He and His disciples got in a boat. ‘Let’s cross the lake,’ He said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and He fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ Getting to His feet, He told the wind, ‘Silence!’ and waves, ‘Quiet down!’ They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘Why can’t you trust me?’ They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, “Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and sea, and they do what He tells them!” Luke 8:22-25 (The Message).

So many interpretations to this story! Some think that this was a demonically inspired storm sent to drown Jesus and His men because they were on a mission to set a demon-possessed man free. Perhaps! But why not a perfectly natural phenomenon that happened all the time because of the geography of the region? Could it be that this storm was regulated and perfectly timed by the Father to expose what was in the hearts of the disciples?

So many lessons in this story! The way we understand it depends on perspective.

From the disciples’ perspective, they were in terrible danger. Jesus was asleep and out of the picture and, if He didn’t wake up, they were finished. They screamed out in terror, not really believing that He could do anything, but needing Him to be aware of what was going on anyway. They were victims of the circumstances and they were powerless to change them. Fear drove out all their confidence in Jesus and paralysed their sane thinking. They had not yet learned to use the power of the Word to save the day.

 

Jesus, on the other hand, was perfectly at rest, fast asleep, storm or no storm! He had been given a commission to go to the other side of the lake. There was someone there who needed Him and the storm was no deterrent. No doubt He was acting in obedience to the Father. Whatever stood in His way would be brushed aside as of no consequence.

Unlike His disciples, Jesus was never controlled by circumstances. If circumstances were the controlling factor, His life would have been a roller coaster ride and who knows where it would have ended? He was in intimate contact with His Father and took His instructions from Him. Like Peter, when Jesus invited him to walk on the water, Jesus walked on the Word of God. His perspective was always the kingdom of God, God’s rule, God’s instructions and God’s way.

Jesus also used circumstances to reveal His Father’s power and glory. Whatever obstacles stood in the way of restoring wholeness in any situation, Jesus spoke, the obstacle was removed and those present caught another glimpse of the true nature of the Father.

The death of Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, was one such incident. Jesus was not fazed when He received the news of Lazarus’ illness. “When He heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.'” John 11:4 (NIV).

God’s Word is powerful, not matter from whose mouth it is spoken. The disciples eventually learned this lesson. The book of Acts is full of incidents where the power of the spoken Word of God changed situations for them. Disease, demons and even death fled when they spoke to them, just as Jesus had done when He was with them in the flesh.

How sad that so many of us believers don’t really believe this. We rehearse our woes and even pray them to God instead of confidently speaking out what God has spoken. Jesus’ rebuke is equally true of many of us, ‘Why don’t you trust me?’ Jesus is Lord over all things, even wind and weather.

Speak to your storm! It must obey.