But as they sailed, He fell asleep, and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy. Luke 9:23
I am a fairly light sleeper; it doesn’t take much to wake me from a deep sleep. I can’t imagine sleeping in a boat through any kind of rough water, let alone a Galilean windstorm. The instant those huge choppy waves began to develop – and they developed rapidly on Galilee – I would be wide awake and clinging to the most substantial thing I could find with an unshakeable grip. I can’t imagine anyone sleeping through such a storm. The fact that Jesus did indicates to me that it was a miracle. And the disciples should have known that. That they were in jeopardy was their estimation, not God’s. Like the disciples, we are often in fear when we don’t need to be.
Could the boat have sunk that night on Galilee? We know it could not, because it was carrying the Lord Jesus, who was to die of crucifixion on Golgotha, not of drowning in a storm-lashed lake. The purposes of God will always be fulfilled, regardless of our doubt or misunderstanding. Do you ever pray for God’s will to be done? To me, that is a strange prayer, if we consider that God’s will is always done. What we need to pray is for us to accept God’s will when it is done. If God has given to us a promise, we must never doubt His word, or consider it possible that God will fail to keep that promise.
God has promised to always be with us. Has He failed that promise? God has promised that He will meet our needs. Has He kept that promise? God has promised that His Word will always sustain our souls. Any failure there is our fault for neglecting the word; any success there has proved the miraculous power of the Word. to each of us as individuals, God has given rich and precious promises. And He will keep them every one!
When one of the storms of life seem ready to swamp your boat, check to see that you are in God’s will. If so, your boat will remain afloat; you have nothing to dread. -Jim MacIntosh