LET HIM INTO THE BOAT...

In our Bible study fellowship we are currently studying the book of John. When we studied chapter 6 the passage where the miracle of Jesus calming the storm it challenged me and made me think further and two things were profound.

• At times Jesus sends us into the storm
• We need to Let Jesus into our boat- (Solution)

Jesus sends us into the storm:
This incident happened soon after Jesus feeding the five thousand. You would also know that Johns gospel record only the key of the matter, looking at the chronology of the Gospels, we see in Mark 6: 45 that it was Jesus who asked that disciples to go into the sea ahead of him while He dispersed the crowd. (Also to be noted is the leadership model he examples here for us, which is so different than the ones we see in the world now especially in the Christian circle) Jesus knowing there will be a storm why did he send them into the sea is a question? I see this as a part of his training the disciples to trust him more. Don’t you see this incident related to your lives too, you obey what Gods asked you to do and then you feel that you are rowing against the wind/ current? But encouraging thing is when they were struggling in the midst storm Jesus went there for their rescue. So even though he sends us into the storm, He is always there to rescue us.

Let Jesus into your boat:
When Jesus arrived in that scene, Disciples couldn’t believe him/ recognize him. They thought he was a Ghost. Jesus said it is I, Don’t be afraid. V: 21 is a great promise to cling on. It says when they were willing to take him into the boat; they reached the shore immediately, where they were destined to go. Earlier we see that they had rowed into the sea about 3 miles, as soon as Jesus came into the boat they reached the shore immediately.
Just before Jesus got into the boat, the picture is- Jesus was there, and the disciples knew who Jesus was still they were in the storm. The moment they let him into their boat it all happened, Storm calmed and reached the shore immediately.
Even as believers we at times in the middle of storms in our lives we try to solve it with the help of human minds and thoughts. But all we need to do is Ask Jesus to come into our situation/ our Boat and take control and so immediately we can reach our destiny too. Isn’t that amazing, It was a very encouraging/ challenging thought for me.

Many a times it is our own disbelief. We fail to recognize him in our lives and keep asking for help cos we have our mind set on what we want to do, not letting God to work the way he wants to do. We also see that it took the Israelites forty years to reach the Promised Land because of their unbelief. If they would have believed they would have reached much earlier. Let us not delay like them but Trust in him and ask him to come into our situation take control so that we can achieve what God has planned / destined for us sooner in our lives.

Here are some words of comfort / strength from the Bible:
Mark 6:48: when there’s a storm against us- He is there and will rescue us
John: 17:9-26, Hebrews 7:25: He will save us and Jesus lives to Intercede for us.
Hebrews 13:8: He doesn’t change; He is the same yesterday, today and forever
1 peter 5:7: He cares for us- so we can cast all our burdens on Him

I was also reminded of this song from my Sunday school, simple and profound. It goes…

With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm
As we go sailing home…

But I liked the new version of it which says…

With Jesus in my boat I can smile at the storm
As we go sailing home

You can also watch this song in the following link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpkQ-Bb78sU&feature=related


Stay Blessed

Augustine