Who is in YOUR boat?

Paul experienced quite a STORM in Acts 27. This storm was so violent, it shipwrecked Paul and the entire crew, landing them on the island of Malta. The coolest thing God showed me though, is that He USED Paul's storm and being shipwrecked on Malta for His glory....leading the people of Malta to become followers of Christ.

God will use our storms (when we allow Him) and turn them into "Malta-s", opportunities to WITNESS and share God's love with others.



Jesus also experienced storms....and His disciples.  In fact, they often experienced the storms WITH Jesus.

From Luke 8
Jesus had told the disciples that they were going over to the other side of the lake. They all climbed into the boat and began to cross to the lake. During the sail over, Jesus fell asleep. During this time, a huge storm comes up. "The boat was being swamped, and they were in GREAT DANGER." OK, these guys were fishermen- they were used to life on the sea. They had undoubtedly seen many storms. But this one SCARED them!

They woke up Jesus screaming, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"

They are hysterical. They thought it was "all over."

Now, I had always "read" this as the disciples were waking up Jesus to have him DO SOMETHING. But, perhaps, they are waking Jesus up because they think they are going to have to jump ship....that this storm is "IT"....this is the end for all of them.... Are they waking Him up, thinking "How can you sleep through THIS? We are all going to die!"

Listen to what happens next. (Verses 24-25)

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" He asked His disciples. In fear and amazement, they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him."

If the disciples had known that Jesus was GOD, would they have been scared? If they knew that I AM was in the boat with them, would they have feared? God Almighty...Creator of the universe...Who set the stars in place....Who created the sea.....Who keeps the winds in storehouses.... was with them in the boat! If they realized WHO Jesus was, would they have panicked? Peter had not yet confessed that Jesus was the Christ. And, although they knew Jesus was something NEW....a prophet, a teacher, something very special.....did they know that GOD Himself was in the boat with them????

If they did, would they have been afraid?

And, it made me think of myself. If I truly believed that the great I AM, the God of the universe, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty were in MY boat, would I be afraid when the storms of life come up?

When temptations come, when trials come....do I see WHO IS IN MY BOAT WITH ME?

Do I relax in faith? Do I trust? Do I rest in knowing that in my time of need, the Lord Himself is there, in MY BOAT, as my strength, my Savior, my sufficiency?


Lord, help me to see You for Who You are. You are the Creator of the UNIVERSE! You have created all the stars, the seas, the creatures... You made ME. Give me eyes to SEE You for who You are. You are the great I AM! When the storms of life come up, help me to trust completely in You, knowing that You can calm them with just a word. You are in MY BOAT WITH ME. Help me to get a revelation of that. I love You, Lord! Praise You, Jesus! Thank You for Your glorious Word! In Christ, the Calmer of the Storms, the One, True, Living God's Name we pray. Amen!

27 thoughts shared....:

SnoWhite said...

Thank you so much for that encouragement. I often "know" God is there, but don't truly believe He is in the boat WITH ME. What a difference it would make on my levels of anxiety and fear if that truth became a permanent marker of my faith. I'm praying that prayer with you today.

Chelle said...

What a great reminder! Be blessed :)

Joan said...

Fear = a lack of faith.

I want that kind of faith that even in the storm, I will not be afraid. Thanks for sharing.

Happy WFW
Blessings

l said...

I love it! And I love the pics down your left sidebar. Are those previous WFWs?? Blessings~

Deborah said...

Great post! You are so right...we forget who is with us...like He doesn't know what is going on in our life. I'll have to remember this when I start freaking out over storms in my life. Thank you.

Larie Carlice Proverbs 27:19 said...

Interesting thought process on these verses. Never really dawned on me that they were fisherman, (I knew they were, but for this instance...) so what was the "big deal?"

smooches,
Larie

Amydeanne said...

Amen! Thanks for that I needed this, this morning!

Amydeanne said...

Amen! Thanks for that I needed this, this morning!

Laurie Ann said...

I am absolutely humbled at this teaching, Tracy. I never thought of it that way before. Now I need to think, in times of crisis do I remember Who is in the boat with me. Great post! Happy WFW!

Joyfull said...

Beautiful reflections on how powerful our God is.. and He is in boat! Thanks for sharing today.

Cathy said...

Thanks for those Words today. Thank God for His perfect peace.

christy rose said...

This is an absolutely wonderful post. If we would just remember that in the midst of our storms, we are not going to die! We will come out of this Ok! There is calm at the end of a storm! Because Jesus is with me and He is not afraid or concerned, I can rest too, until this storm passes! That is so good!

Thanks so much for the reminder

So Good!

Christy

pam said...

Good reminder that He is bigger, mightier and more creative to answer our needs than we can imagine. Blessings of all His best to you today!

Lisa said...

Amen and Amen! Thanks for sharing!

Toia said...

Thanks for sharing God's word!!

crittyjoy said...

I always love that story...He was and still is our calm in the storm :)

Happy WFW!

Tracy Berta-daughter to the King, wife, mother, speaker, writer said...

Leslie,

I couldn't get to your blog! Wanted to check out your WFW and answere your question! :( Hopefully, you stop by again....

Most of the pictures on the left of my sidebar ARE previous WFWs.

Blessings, Leslie!

Denise said...

Awesome WFW.

ozjane said...

love the photo and was also reading and pondering that scene this week.
Oh to look up and see Jesus walking over the stormy waters to us.

Amydeanne said...

great reminder!
happy WFW
Amydeanne

Peggy said...

Blessings & prayers for you sweet Tracy! Sorry to read all the "destruction" happening around you
(and you thought the Flood of 2008 was bad?) Now it was but in perspective of this...yet as you FOCUS on your own WFW & this inspiration than you know who is in the boat with you...have faith, hold on and may HE calm your storms!

Beautiful WFW! worth repeating!

Susan said...

Great word and thoughts to go with it.

I'm sooooooooo sorry to hear about your crash. Oh my...I'd dread for that to happen.

I need to back something up.

Hope you're having a blessed day♥

Cathy said...

Very beautiful ~

lori said...

GIRLFRIEND,
If you were my next door neighbor, we'd have a blast...We'd chat it up! Your post here for WFW was just amazing...you know it seems that we KNOW we need the faith...we just need the reminder, like everyday...this was mine today!

AND the beatles...UGH...we have em too...I give up!

hugs to you...
remember...get OVER that brick wall!! Keep Climbing!

peace,
lori

Jean Stockdale said...

I am just now catching up on some blog hopping to see others posts. You have a great site and I love your picture. Great verse and wonderful insight.Thanks for sharing.

I am hosting "5 Things Friday" on my blog at http://jeanstockdale.typepad.com and I hope you will stop by and play along. I write to encourage MOMS in the fine art of Christian mothering. Such an awesome privilege, such a tough job! Blessings.

lori said...

obey...the word we run from and the word we need to cling to....
He does us it ALL doesn't He? What a blessing this was for my Wednesday...

love you girl!

lori

LauraLee Shaw said...

So sorry you've had a rough month! What a great promise to cling to!