Sunday, August 1, 2021

Matthew 8:23-25 Devotion by Stephen Taylor

Matthew 8:23-25

Then he got into the boat, and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"

 

This morning, as I was praying, the Holy Spirit brought this story to mind and revealed to me a way that it applies to us all! The boat is our hearts, and once we accept Jesus into our hearts, we follow Him. Too often, we think that once we accept Jesus into our lives, the storms will stop and life will be easy. But that’s not the case. The storms will still come. We simply won't have to face them alone.

 

The disciples in the boat (our hearts) represent our fears, doubts, guilts, shame, feelings of pride, and ego! They are crying out that Jesus doesn’t care or that He saved others, but He isn’t going to save us. They cry out to distract us from the truth that Jesus is the calm in the storm! They cry out to get us to lose focus on what our Lord is doing, and that is resting in our hearts in the middle of the storm, and He is inviting us to follow His lead!

 

To me, this story is a picture of hurt, pain, death, rejection, loss, sin, and shame all swirling around in the storm around our hearts! See, Jesus is teaching us here to be calm in the storm because He is more than the storm! He is showing us that though we think He is absent or distant, He is resting in us and teaching us about Who He is! He isn’t far off in these storms but right where we asked Him to be, in our hearts! And remember, if Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, then He is in you, and you are in Him, and the only thing you're going to drown in is His mercy, grace, and love!

 

Psalm 61:2-4 - From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

 

God bless! I love you all! Glory, Honor, and Praise forever to God Almighty, Jesus Christ the Risen King, and The Holy Spirit!

 

 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment