Who's In Your Boat?
“Let us cross over to the other side”
Mark 4:35
Believe it or not but, ”The calm water is where you are at, not where you are going as the calm is in the boat with Jesus as He is the only one who can truly calm the storms we all face.” For the last couple of months now in emails, text messages and phone calls, I do my best to point people to Jesus as they struggle with all the ‘why’ questions that surround the COVID-19 pandemic and the toll it is taking on them and their loved ones. In unprecedented times like these most feel a sense of helplessness. Many are lost between the life they knew pre pandemic and the hopes and dreams of the future that now seems all but lost.
Memory can be a blessing or a curse. If our thoughts of the past are pleasant they can motivate us forward. If our recall of the past is involves loss, our memory can be painful and disabling. A quote comes to mind from the book, "A Grace Disguised" which was written by a man who lost his mother, wife and daughter in a head-on car collision. If anyone understood the hurt and heartache of being seemingly lost at sea between two ports it was this man. In the book he wrote about the struggle of trying to make sense out of the tragedy, he wrote, "Loss creates a barren present, as if one were sailing on a vast sea of nothingness. Those who suffer loss live suspended between a past for which they long and a future for which they hope." Anyone who has suffered loss during COVID-19 knows this same kind of emptiness, the same kind of nothingness.
Though it’s difficult for the one suffering the pain of loss to see good in the current situation I find myself continually writing, “things will get better” for the simple fact as believers in Jesus we know how our story will ultimately end. In verse 41 of Mark’s gospel in chapter 4 the story ends as the storm subsides and the disciples reasoned among themselves, “Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” What the disciples were beginning to learn in their lives is what you and I who follow Christ are learning too. The destination isn’t heaven; the destination is Jesus! The storm they were in served to be a reminder that God is greater than our storms and that safety isn't reaching the other side, safety is the One who is in the boat with you, even in the middle of your storm. Safety, security and destiny are all found in Jesus.
There is grace available today for those of us who have launched our boat without extending an invitation to Jesus to get in the boat. Jesus knows how to walk on water to come to where we are, because it was Jesus who promised to never leave us nor forsake us. If you find yourself being tossed to a fro on the sea of despair today invite Jesus into your boat. Remember, loved one, its Jesus presence that calms even the roughest sea. Peace can always be found where God is.
Those who are in Christ Jesus are not ships between two ports, though it might feel like that at times and is why we are called to walk by faith and not our feelings. Rarely are things as they appear. To prove it just look in the passenger side mirror on your car. The truth is, loved one, we are not lost in the sea of life as the world around us is. We are however on a journey and Jesus who is at the helm. God is with us in the boat as He has ALWAYS been there, right by our side. Storms are inevitable, fear and panic are optional as are peace and joy. It all comes down to whose in your boat.
"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Psalms 16:11
I LOVE YOU!
Mark 4:35
Believe it or not but, ”The calm water is where you are at, not where you are going as the calm is in the boat with Jesus as He is the only one who can truly calm the storms we all face.” For the last couple of months now in emails, text messages and phone calls, I do my best to point people to Jesus as they struggle with all the ‘why’ questions that surround the COVID-19 pandemic and the toll it is taking on them and their loved ones. In unprecedented times like these most feel a sense of helplessness. Many are lost between the life they knew pre pandemic and the hopes and dreams of the future that now seems all but lost.
Memory can be a blessing or a curse. If our thoughts of the past are pleasant they can motivate us forward. If our recall of the past is involves loss, our memory can be painful and disabling. A quote comes to mind from the book, "A Grace Disguised" which was written by a man who lost his mother, wife and daughter in a head-on car collision. If anyone understood the hurt and heartache of being seemingly lost at sea between two ports it was this man. In the book he wrote about the struggle of trying to make sense out of the tragedy, he wrote, "Loss creates a barren present, as if one were sailing on a vast sea of nothingness. Those who suffer loss live suspended between a past for which they long and a future for which they hope." Anyone who has suffered loss during COVID-19 knows this same kind of emptiness, the same kind of nothingness.
Though it’s difficult for the one suffering the pain of loss to see good in the current situation I find myself continually writing, “things will get better” for the simple fact as believers in Jesus we know how our story will ultimately end. In verse 41 of Mark’s gospel in chapter 4 the story ends as the storm subsides and the disciples reasoned among themselves, “Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” What the disciples were beginning to learn in their lives is what you and I who follow Christ are learning too. The destination isn’t heaven; the destination is Jesus! The storm they were in served to be a reminder that God is greater than our storms and that safety isn't reaching the other side, safety is the One who is in the boat with you, even in the middle of your storm. Safety, security and destiny are all found in Jesus.
There is grace available today for those of us who have launched our boat without extending an invitation to Jesus to get in the boat. Jesus knows how to walk on water to come to where we are, because it was Jesus who promised to never leave us nor forsake us. If you find yourself being tossed to a fro on the sea of despair today invite Jesus into your boat. Remember, loved one, its Jesus presence that calms even the roughest sea. Peace can always be found where God is.
Those who are in Christ Jesus are not ships between two ports, though it might feel like that at times and is why we are called to walk by faith and not our feelings. Rarely are things as they appear. To prove it just look in the passenger side mirror on your car. The truth is, loved one, we are not lost in the sea of life as the world around us is. We are however on a journey and Jesus who is at the helm. God is with us in the boat as He has ALWAYS been there, right by our side. Storms are inevitable, fear and panic are optional as are peace and joy. It all comes down to whose in your boat.
"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Psalms 16:11
I LOVE YOU!
Recent
Archive
2021
January
Test PositiveHow Not To ForgetYour Best Year EverRelationship Over RulesKeep The Main Thing The Main ThingBonding FiresTake Me To ChurchWeight Gain Is GoodNot Seeing Is Believing Everything You Need To KnowLove Wins!Servants Not Slaves8 P's and 7 B'sWhat The World Needs NowThe World Is Falling... Into Place10 Minutes That Change The World
2020
January
February
March
Why We Can Be FriendsBe What You Want Other's To BeThere Is A Song In Your HeartThe Afterward of FailureWhy God WhispersDon''t Worry, Be Happy!I Can See Clearly NowI'm In It For The Long HaulTrade In Your Fears For PeaceDaddy Hold YouThe EndA Guy Can't Just Sit AroundThe Birthday Boy!Worry Never WorksPromises PromisesTwenty Inches From BlissFit From HomeThe Silver Lining of SufferingThe Gift of PainDo Not Be Afraid
April
Two Tickets To ParadiseI'll Trade YouNo Substitute For TrustOur Greatest NeedHope DispensersYour Finest HourDreams Do Come True!How To Survive A PandemicFeeling ChippieThe Good In Good Friday!The Dark Before The DawnHow Stars Are BornOne A Day, And Leap Year Too!Please, Breathe On MeYou Can't Afford To WorryChristmas In AprilAre You Jesus?Comfort FoodSocial DistancingNew NormalThe Beauty of SelflessnessThrive Not SurviveDon't Ask Why Ask WhatEmpty Is GoodI Miss Your FaceGet Out Of Jail Free
May
Marriage IS WorkYou Are EssentialThe DestinationCourage Looks Like LoveLive The AmenRelentlessYou're Never AloneOpen For BusinessYour're ContagiousGod's Got Big EarsHigher EducationA Season, A Reason, A LifetimeTo Grope Is DopeYou PickWomen Like GodMaking A DifferenceOne Way LoveBlessed To BlessPeople God Uses
June
How To Defeat RacismDon't Be An AnimalJesus IS The AnswerBefore Not AfterDreams Do Come True!ImagineTell It Like It Can BePeace MakersHold OnThe Name Above ALL NamesThe Real You!Don\'t Lose Your PassionA Tale of Four Father\'sJust Do It For Jesus!IfIn or Out?Stay FocusedPriorities MatterGod's Green Thumb
July
August
Whistle While You WorkDon't Worry, Be Happy!Holy Moly, Just Look At You!You Can Do Hard ThingsJoy Is On The Way!Why Not Me?What's Your Backstory?ForgivenessJesus Is Our RainbowJesus In, Jesus OutThe 7 Factors of FriendshipBecause of YouLord, Teach Me To PrayHopeless End or Endless Hope?The Stress RelieverDefining MomentsA Supernaturally Scheduled DayWho's In Your Boat?
September
Hang In There 5 Minutes More!You Can Do It!What You See is What You GetMountains Were Made To ClimbLet Go, Let GodThe Third OptionWhat Will You Be?Better Than New!You Are A Best Seller!Heaven On EarthPray, Don't PreyTo love Is To ObeyIf I Could Live My Life Over AgainLet It Shine!Need A Hug?A Beautiful MessRun Through The TapeCause and EffectLife Is The PitsJust Say Yes
October
How To Have A RevivalLord, Teach Us To PrayBroken and BeautifulWhy God WhispersDig DeepThings Are Not As They AppearChildlike FaithGreat JobWhat On Earth Am I Here ForSafe In God's HandYou Be JesusYou Never Have To Advertise A FireRetraining ElephantsMission PossibleGo Nuts Today!Don't Hide The CracksOne Step AheadWho's Your Caddy?THINKPeter's Favorite PsalmFound Together
November
Success Through FailureNo FearAgainst All OddsGod Works For You But Not For YouThe Worship of TearsThank God For FleasHow To Thank A VeteranSoar Like An EagleOne Out Of TenHow To Get Through A StormCling OnKeep SwingingChoose Winning!The BlessingLessons From My Washing MachineHow To Put Happy Into Your ThanksgivingWe Exist To AppreciateThe Gift That Keeps On Giving
December
Peace On EarthHope In The DarkLessons From Long LinesHe's Making A List And Checking It TwiceKeep Rolling!You Have A ReservationWhen Heaven Met EarthThe Great Gift ExchangeA Thrill of HopeThe Real DealThe Perfect GiftFace Your FearsWinning Over WorryStability From A StableThe "awe" of HeavenJoy That LastsMessage From The MangerChristmas In Three WordsLook Up Not ForwardJust Because
2019
February
Heavenly RemindersThings Are Not Always As They AppearZihuatanejoSatisfied Wanting MoreGet In The Game!Always The Nails, Never The HammerA Four Footed EnemyAll InWhat's Love Got To Do With It?Lessons From A LeperLessons From A Former LeperNo MatchYour Mess Is Your MessageLessons From Your GPS"Ooooo ooooo ohoohohoo"Jesus MarveledShe Walks In BeautyShaken or Stirred?Bring The Rain
March
I Can't Love You AnymoreThe Gift of AttentivenessWha't Outside Your Tent?I'll Carry YouIt’s Worth The PainWorship On The BrainA Door of HopeGet Busy LivingHow Knowledge Becomes Power Please Do Not DisturbNew Normal5 Minutes LongerOur Conquering KingA Matter of PerspectiveAge Old WisdomFaith Your FearsThe Best Day Of Your Life… Starts Now!Who Grace Looks LikeHow To Have Lifetime JoyTo Know You Is To Love YouMistaken Identity
April
Life After The End Of The RopeLet's Get RealWhy God Made MountainsForgive And ForgetLoving You Is EasySweetly Broken Keep The Main Thing The Main ThingKnow God Know PeaceWisdom Never Gets OldOut of the WhirlwindMonday: A Pure and Holy PassionTuesday: The Passion Of JesusThe Passion Week: WednesdayJesus Love From Head To ToeFriday: The Passion JesusThe Ta-da of HeavenWhat's The World Coming To?A Love InvasionThe Gift of YouI'm With You AlwaysHow Is Your Balance?Bring The Rain
May
In Regards To HeavenHope WinsIshteeLove Is A VerbFinishing WellYour New Favorite BookGod Has No GrandchildrenCrossing GuardsYou Were Made For MomentsLiving Like A Rock StarA Wonder Filled DayLess is MoreAll Washed UpIf Your Child Goes Astray... Pray!Like Parent Like ChildBring Back The KingWith God You ARE The MajorityJesus IS EnoughWe Will RememberYou Are Stronger Than You ThinkEscape ArtistsYou Can't Back Into Your FutureThe Worship of Tears
June
For HankGod's 'GPS'A Friend Like YouDesire Discipline DelightDesire, Discipline, DelightYou Be JesusYour WorthA Living Love StoryThe Gift of GraceThe Power of AmenA Dad For All SesonsStuck On YouJust OneI Hope You DanceIt's Your Turn To ShineGlorious Day!Ancient Social MediaA Door of HopeLiving Like JesusPlease, Don't Shoot The Messenger!
July
Flawed Instruments Glorify GodHelp Is On The WayMay You Always Remain As You Are TodayOne Nation Under GodDivine AppointmentsDon't Trip Over Your PastWho's Counting?ShineLove Is A VerbBig Shoes To FillYou Never Have To Advertise A FireLet The Walls Fall DownOne Small Step, One Giant LeapOur God Rocks!Stirred To ActionThe Power of LoveTo Know Him Is To Love HimJesus Loves Pizza
August
September
October
Broken and BeautifulIn The Hands of The PotterRecognitionExtraordinarily OrdinaryBonded By A BonfireColor EverywhereWords To Live ByThe Best of MeJust Say YesChoose HappyThe Best Weekend Ever!Three Yet OneJust KISSGame ChangerHow To Beat An Escape RoomIt's What's Inside That CountsWhen Longer Isn't Long EnoughThe Whisperer
November
The Healing Power of a HugA Work In ProgressThe Best Day of Your Life Starts... NowYou Have Beautiful EyesLord, Teach Me To PrayFive Star FaithDebt Free LivingWhen Close Isn't Close EnoughHave I Got Something Just For You!Perfect In Any LightYour Strength Is Your WeaknessIt's Only A TestYou're Living An Adventure
Slow The PaceThe Art of AppreciationLasting MemoriesBlack Friday Saved My Life
Categories
no categories