Saturday, June 7, 2008
Matthew 8:26 "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves . . .
HE CAN HANDLE IT
The LORD is an expert at getting us through storms. Yet how often don't we find ourselves trying to handle the bad weather of life by ourselves? So often we go forward on our own, plunging forward where even angels fear to tread. We just have to do it our own way! How long did the disciples try to row their way and bail their way and sail their way out of trouble before someone finally got the bright idea to ask Jesus for help? Their way just didn't work. The height of foolishness and arrogance is to ignore our Savior God and follow our own "expertise."
And speaking of experts, at least four of the twelve disciples were expert fisherman. They knew how to handle boats. They were well acquainted with the kind of storms Galilee was capable of. They'd been around the lake a few times, but now they're in over their heads. Now they're in a situation where they are powerless to do anything to save themselves. Sometimes when we start to think that we're experts at handling life, the LORD puts us in a situation where we're in over our heads so that we remember how helpless we are without Him. He lets trouble touch our lives so that we learn again to trust Him for everything.
What He said to the disciples, I can hear Him say to me: "O you of little faith. Why do you keep running around with your stomach all tied up in knots? Why do you keep trying methods of handling your problems that never get you anywhere?" "Here I am!" He says. "I'm the LORD Almighty! Your merciful friend. Your Savior. I want to help you and I can."
"Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." Yes, He can handle it! So with confident hearts we bow our heads and pray: "Jesus, Savior, pilot me Over life's tempestuous sea."
