Who’s In Your Boat?

I was listening today to a teaching that centered around Mark 4 where Jesus was in the boat with his disciples. He tells them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” The problem came when they were crossing over and a terrible storm arose. Keep in mind these were fishermen….and they were very afraid of drowning. What was Jesus doing? He was sleeping! Can you imagine what was going on in their minds? Finally they woke him up and asked, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown????”

Immediately Jesus arose and calmed the storm with a simple command, then he asked his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” We can’t judge the disciples too harshly because we might very well have been in a similar situation and crying out to the Lord ourselves.

The question becomes: where is your faith when you are in the storm? You have do ask yourself:

  • Is God good? That would be an absolute yes!
  • Does He care what happens to us? Without question He loves and cares for each of us!
  • Can He handle it? Of course He can. God can do anything He wants to do.

So where is our faith? Are we just trying to get through the storm in our own strength? That does not work. If Jesus is in your boat, do you really have to worry? Whatever God tells you to do, just do it. Don’t question it no matter how small or how big it may seem. An army may be lined up against you, but you and God are a majority! Don’t let the fear of failure, the fear of the future, or fear of your current circumstances hold you back.

True faith requires action. Just know that when God tells you to do something you can count on being tested. Don’t be surprised by it. Know that the testing of your faith reveals your true motives and your character. If you fold in the face of a storm, you have to ask yourself how much faith you really have.

By the way, everybody fails. Everybody makes mistakes…and everybody falls short of the glory of God. It is only thru Christ that we can become fully alive and live the lives that God destined for us. I was sharing with a group of men over breakfast that despite my eyesight problem, I have gained greater insight into myself and into other people. God has used my frailties to help me see things in a spiritual sense that I might have otherwise missed.

Whatever battle you face, don’t despair. If God called you to it, He will help you through it. You don’t have to understand, you just have to trust and obey.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

4 Responses to “Who’s In Your Boat?”

  1. Cristina Andreescu says:

    Yes, the most difficult thing to do: to trust and obey…
    Thank you for everything you share, we need to remember as often as possible that we have souls and we live here in the Light and Love of God.
    God bless you!
    Shalom!

  2. Luqman Michel says:

    Thank you very much for this post Daniel. The following words are comforting:
    “An army may be lined up against you, but you and God are a majority! Don’t
    let the fear of failure, the fear of the future, or fear of your current circumstances hold you back”.