45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out,50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. Mark 8
We are in the middle of what is forecast to be a week of stormy weather. It’s important that we know about storms, the dangers, the effects and the opportunities. How we understand and handle storms is critical.
Seek Shelter. It’s elementary that during a storm we should seek shelter. What we often miss is that God sends storms into our lives so that we will seek shelter. We often fail to understand that we are sent into storms for a purpose. He leaves us in them for a purpose as well. Jesus put His disciples into the board knowing about the pending storm. He saw them struggling yet waited until dawn to go to them. When life is stormy seek shelter, the sheltering arms of God. It may be the principal reason for the storm. Don’t miss out. Storms teach us where our real strength and help comes from.
Anticipate change. After a really big storm, it’s often unsettling to go outside. Things will have changed. Our house has dozens of trees. Storms cause a mess. The landscape has changed. Katrina changed New Orleans forever. In our lives, God sends storms to change our course. We may know for months or years that a change is necessary, but we fear change and sometimes only the storm will force us into accepting it and moving on.
Prepare for storms. Storms come when they are least expected. They break us out of our comfort zones. They change our schedules and priorities. I kind of like the hours before a hurricane hits. Plans are changed. Meetings are cancelled. School is closed. Lowes and Home Depot, Albertsons and Rouses become the busiest places in town. It’s far better to be prepared. We become too comfortable with life as we know it. It can change overnight. We should make sure that our foundations and life lines are secure. Our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters become crucial when the winds start to blow and the rain starts to fall.
Pass the test. Heroes emerge from storms. There are always some who put others first and act courageously for the well-being of others. If there is a storm in your life, you are likely not the only affected. Storms secure relationships, horizontally and vertically. It’s an opportunity to make things better with those that really matter.
Storms pass. Sometimes it seems a storm will never abate. It will. After Jesus met his disciples on the lake. They returned to shore and the ministry flourished.
53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. Mark 6
The purpose of the storm is not to get you wet and windblown. It’s to prepare you for the days afterwards by increasing your faith, strengthening your relationships, clarifying your perspective and renewing your purpose. Storms are a good thing.
Be the first to reply