Who’s in Your Boat?
Scripture Reading — Luke 8:22-25
Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out.
Many of the disciples were experienced fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. They had often weathered sudden squalls and treacherous waves. They knew that storms could come out of nowhere. So when Jesus suggested rowing to the other side of the lake, they knew they had to be ready for anything.
In the seas of life, we grow to learn that storms can sneak up on us. A bill out of nowhere can take a bite out of your paycheck. A parent suddenly becomes ill, and you become a caregiver. A child’s bad decision can lead to a day in court and a prison sentence. Such storms cause our anxiety to rise to dangerous levels. We look for help from someone to calm us down, fix the problem, and restore life to the way it was.
The disciples never stopped to think what it meant to have Jesus in the boat with them. And, to them, he wasn’t doing anything! But, of course, he was sleeping—not worrying or getting frantic about the storm. The disciples spent so much energy trying to save themselves from the storm on their own power that they forgot to be still and recognize that Jesus is God, who had their lives in his hands. Jesus was in their boat. All they needed to do was trust in him.
You and I cannot control the sudden storms of life. That’s the way life is. But Jesus is with us. And that’s the best thing.
Thank you, Jesus, for being in our boat. Your resting does not mean inaction; it reminds us to place all our anxieties on you because you care for us. In your name, Amen.
About the author — Reginald Smith
Dr. Reginald Smith is senior pastor at Roosevelt Park Community Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he has served for seventeen years. He has also served as a pastor in Paterson, New Jersey. He and his wife, Sharon, have three daughters, Janelle, Katrina, and Mariah.
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