Storms

The hurricane hit the coast pretty hard. I heard that only three other Category 5 storms have hit the US. The news reports and the Weather Channel amaze me. I think these guys are trying to do what Bernard Shaw did on CNN during the Gulf War. Personally, I don't think there is any honor is staying in the path of a storm (or a war) that prompted the mayor, governor, and president to issues warnings to leave the area.

But we live in a society that specializes in sensationalism. For "reality TV," this is top shelf.

Life has storms, too. You've been there; you know what I mean. Your marriage falls apart. Or you are suddenly without a job. Or your children get into trouble with alcohol or drugs. Or your teenage daughter gets pregnant. Or your son wants to drop out of high school. The list of storms that run through out lives goes on and on. And who of us has been exempt?

Where do you turn when life is stormy?

Jesus and his disciples were on a boat in the middle of a relatively small lake. The Sea of Galilee is, at best, 7 miles wide and 20 miles long. But it sits in the midst of a mountainous region and when the air atop the mountains cools in the evening it slides down the slopes like an avalanche. When the cooler air reaches the Galilee it displaces the warmer air. Storms are frequent.

But this storm was different because the disciples (Jesus was asleep on the boat) couldn't control their vessel. And many of them were professional fishermen who had worked daily on these waters. They thought they could handle the storm but they couldn't.

Where did they turn for help? Jesus was on board! Just like he is on board in our lives - if we have a personal relationship with him.

After the disciples woke him up, Jesus stood on the deck and stretched his arms wide. He said, "Peace, be still." And the winds were calm and the waves died down. They were safe! Because Jesus was on board.

When the storms tear through your life, wouldn't it be great to have Jesus on board? He already is if you are a Christian. If you are not, then you can commit your life to him and his teaching and he'll be on board constantly.

When the storms come into my life I don't try to handle them by myself anymore. I used to. But now I just ask Jesus to take control and he steps forward, stretches his arms across my storm, and says, "Peace, be still." The winds go calm and the waves die down. And I am safe. Because Jesus is on board.