Has anyone ever proposed to you a seemingly undemanding plan to which
you readily complied, only to have circumstances take a turn for the worse
shortly thereafter? Has that ever occurred in relation to something the
Lord advised you to do? It happened to the disciples, as we will see in
our story today…
Luke 8:22-23 (KJV)
Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his
disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of
the lake. And they launched forth. [23] But as they sailed he fell asleep:
and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled
with water, and were in jeopardy.
Including Himself in on the voyage, Jesus told the disciples that He wanted
them to go over to the other side of the lake. That sounds like a simple
thing for capable men to do, amen? Yes, this was Jesus will and scripture
shows no sign of any complaint or concern on the disciples’ part; they
quickly complied and launched forth, unaware of the fact that they would
soon face threatening conditions. In much the same way, this little scenario
reminds me of our Christian life during times when God’s leading is so
clear and we are quite willing to submit to His will. Yet, shortly after
we embark on our intended course with God, a tempest arises and we begin
to lose confidence in our decision to yield to Christ based on the change
in our circumstances.
Now ladies, if Jesus stated that He wanted to go over to the other side
of the lake with the disciples, don’t you think He meant for everyone
to get there?? If they are obedient to follow God’s orders and go in the
direction He sends them, don’t you think they can count on His presence
and protection?? My, how quickly the disciples forgot God’s Word! Like
them, we know God’s Word, but we don’t rest in it; we don’t allow the
things God told us to comfort us during tempestuous times. Almost immediately
we form the opinion that it is far too hazardous to surrender to God’s
will and we doubt His wisdom and love. What I see here is how quickly
our belief in God dwindles in the face of a test! It seems we have a propensity
for trusting more in our circumstances than anything!
Luke 8:24 (KJV)
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish.
Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they
ceased, and there was a calm.
No doubt there was a work to do on the other side of the lake or Jesus
would not have ordained this trip. This being the case, we can then surmise
that Satan would seek to frustrate God’s will and destroy any amount of
faith the disciples may have placed in Christ as they headed in the direction
they were told. This goes to show us that it isn’t really the tempest
that surrounds us that is our greatest setback, but the tempest that rages
within us! Faith and fear cannot travel together. To whom do you turn
when you are in jeopardy? As we travel on the sea of life we must realize
that storms arise and subside frequently, therefore we must settle our
hearts upon the Lord, with full assurance that He will accompany us through
each challenge we face. No matter how overwhelming your situation may
seem, God holds full authority over all that is going on. If He can calm
the wind and the water, He can calm your fears as well!
As the story progresses, I am happy to see that the disciples took fitting
action – they called upon their Master for assistance and cast their cares
upon Him during this extremely turbulent episode. Nonetheless, considering
my own inherent tendencies, I can’t help but wonder that if the disciples
had traveled to the other side of the lake by land, if they wouldn’t have
turned to some other type of calming rather than prayer…. (Anti-depressants,
perhaps??) However, in this case, nobody was at sea but them and Jesus!
And they had no alternative but to depend upon the Lord. Ladies, don’t
be surprised if God doesn’t take you on a similarly designed trip – with
nothing but faith as your only option for survival.
Luke 8:25 (KJV)
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered,
saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even
the winds and water, and they obey him.
If even the winds and water obey His commands, why can’t we? Do you know
where your faith is today, dear lady? Are you prepared to make it to the
other side of the lake? Or will the first tempest you face throw you off
course with God for good? Has Satan persuaded you to doubt the choice
you made to submit to God’s will when you clearly understood it? Has he
told you following Jesus will only mess up your life? Will you follow
the Lord by faith, in spite of your circumstances, fully assured of God’s
presence and protection, wholly resting in His Word?
Ladies, we find in this portion of scripture our heavenly Father’s supreme
ability to rescue His people! It’s one thing to learn the truth, but quite
another to live it. What will you do the next time you feel overwhelmed
by your situation? I hope you understand that this particular trip was
designed so that Christ’s disciples would recognize His deity and His
complete control over all elements and unsettling conditions in life.
You see ladies, when you get to the other side of the lake there is a
great work to do! Will you face this work with faith or fear? In fact,
if you continue to read the rest of Luke chapter 8 you would see that
Jesus and His disciples landed at the country of Gadarenes where the first
person dealt with was the maniac of Gadara! A man with a hellish tempest
residing within his own breast…
Notice that Jesus never informed them this is why they were taking the
trip across the lake; He simply prepared them for the task. Had they not
witnessed Jesus power over the wind and water, do you think the disciples
would have believed Jesus could have power over a demon-possessed man
such as this fellow was?? There’s no doubt tending to a demoniac of any
sort would be an extremely frightening and demanding event for any believer
to tackle! How would you react if you faced such a person today?? Would
you consider him hopeless? Would you deem yourself in jeopardy, jump back
in the boat and head for home, or accept the challenge with utmost faith
in God’s power and ability to subdue the forces of hell in a man’s life?
Would you turn to Jesus in prayer for help, relying upon Him to calm your
fears? Ladies, we need tempests in our lives to sufficiently and soberly
equip us for God’s holy and hard work. Don’t dread the voyage – trust
the Lord and allow Him to take you to the other side of the lake for even
greater duties!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2004 Pamela A. Iannello
