That day when evening came, He said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
Mark 4:35-37 NIV
Have you ever been surprised by God? You think you are doing the right thing. You have prayed about it. You acted in faith. You wanted to please God in your actions. And, then, out of no where, you end up in a situation you didn't expect. In a new book I'm reading by Chuck Swindoll, he calls this being "surprised by God". Sometimes, even when you are doing everything "right", God takes you places you would have never imagined, even places you wouldn't have wanted to go.
The disciples were serving Christ. They were learning to be apostles, studying God from a very personal perspective; right from God's only Son, Jesus. These were real Christians. Suddenly, out of no where, Christ leads them into the center of a furious storm. There very existence appears to be in danger....and it was Christ's idea. Does that make sense?
It may not make sense to you and me, or to the disciples at the time, but in God's perfect plan for mankind, it makes perfect sense. God knew what He was doing. Christ knew what He was doing.
The storm was no surprise to God and His Son. And neither is the storm in your life. For the next couple of days, we will look deeper at this story and try to discover more about the "surprises" God sends our way. But, for now, let me assure you, God is once again up to something good in your life and mine!
For more of my thoughts, check out my personal blog at
http://www.ronedmondson.com where I write on issues such as marriage, parenting, church and leadership.
Interested in getting
Mustard Seed Thoughts in your email box?
Enter your email below to add or update your subscriptions to
Mustard Seed Thoughts.
Ron is on Twitter. Find him at
http://twitter.com/ronedmondson
Mustard Seed Ministry is reaching around the world with Biblical truths. The ministry is designed to spur the Christian from the smallest amount of faith, onto spiritual growth and maturity. This ministry goes places the church cannot enter. If you would like to support the work of this ministry, send contributions to Mustard Seed Ministry, PO Box 3698, Clarksville, TN 37043, or through Pay Pal (www.paypal.com) to
ron.mustardseed@Christweb.com email address.
Tell your friends about this ministry. Why not forward a copy of the email to those you think might benefit from reading a Mustard Seed? Some churches use it as a supplement to their discipleship program. Perhaps your church would be interested in doing this. All I ask is that credit be given to the ministry. If you need help or have questions, please email me at
ron.mustardseed@Christweb.com
I may not see in front of me, But I can see for miles around when I look over my shoulder, and Lord, it`s clear. You`ve brought me here, So faithful every step of the way. What can I do but follow you, For You are the Way, the Truth, the Life, And You`ve promised never to leave me, My Savior, my friend, From beginning to end. 
RSS Feed