Jesus sleeping on a pillow in the boat
Jesus is a great deep sleeper…
Mark 4:35-41 (NKJV)
35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Can you imagine how crazy the disciples were acting. Probably screaming and crying and acting like they had no hope. Meanwhile the “hope” they needed was sleeping on a pillow on the stern of the ship. No stress, no worry, just got up and told the storm to calm down. That’s what I’m calling POWER. Speaking to nature and telling it to listen.
So why do we stress?
I believe it’s because we truly aren’t surrendered over to Him. We are still trying to navigate the storm ourselves. We look at the surrounding “storms of life” and concern ourselves more with them than what God has called us to do.
Even in the midst of “STORMS” we still have a purpose to do that overrides the issues around us. In most life circumstances (family, job, relationships) we battle through issues, neglect pending punishment, ignore risks….when we truly want something. If you want something bad enough, you will FIGHT DESPERATELY for it! Are we doing that even in the ministry of life?
How about this great CHRIS TOMLIN song – “I WILL FOLLOW”
“Where you go, I’ll go, Where you stay, I’ll stay
When you move, I’ll move, I will follow you
Who you love, I’ll love, How you serve I’ll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you, I will follow you”
In Luke 9 – Jesus is saying that if you truly want to FOLLOW ME you will have to risk something. If you truly want to walk in POWER and in LOVE you will have to battle through STORMS….but you can navigate through them and literally tell them to BE STILL as you discover who you are in CHRIST.
Matthew 16:24-27 (NKJV)
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Most of us think first of only ourselves when we go through STORMS….self preservation. Jesus looked right at the STORM and told it to CHILL OUT because He knew His plan and purpose was much more important than worrying about what was going on around Him (that’s TRUE freedom).
An interesting fact is what was waiting for Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. On the “other side” of this boat ride was the Man filled with a LEGION of devils – (which ultimately got cast into pigs). The “storm” came to distract and sidetrack Him from the plan and purpose at hand. Most of us get “sidetracked” from walking in power and love because we focus on the circumstances instead of focusing on the ONE that controls the circumstances.
We can do the very same things that Jesus did when he walked this earth. We can speak to the storms and they will obey.
Are we walking in His power or trying to do it on our own?
Are we more worried about the circumstances around us than the purpose and plan God has destined us to complete?
Walking in obedience doesn’t mean we won’t encounter storms. It does mean that we will have the power to get through them.
Maybe that will help you to be a deeper sleeper as well?
MR
Posted: September 29th, 2011 under Culture/Society, Leadership.
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