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.
I Am Found In You
by
Steven Curtis Chapman
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
Mark 4:38 NIV
Yesterday we introduced the phrase "surprised by God". Chuck Swindoll, describes it like this:
"You lay yourself before Him. You pray. You ask for counsel. You seek His Word. You are willing to give up whatever you need to give up, and you move through the door, the door closes behind you, it is locked, and you know that God led you there, and then...boom!...your surroundings are a total surprise. You thought it would be one way, and it turned out to be another. Talk about unfathomable. Talk about unsearchable and infinite. Surprises...especially those that disappoint us... are all of the above."
The disciples got into the boat, because Jesus told them to. Wouldn't you? They headed for the other side, because that is where Jesus wanted to go. Isn't that where you would have gone? What they anticipated being a nice, quiet, evening boat ride, gazing at the stars, became a near death experience as the waves came crashing across the deck! Many of these guys were fisherman, accustomed to storms, and yet they were terrified. This storm was a doozy! (A big one!) Where was Jesus during all of this? Asleep, right?
They thought they were doing God's will, and they ended up surprised with where God led them. Has that ever happened to you? You serve Him faithfully, you pray to Him regularly, you trust Him greatly, you go where you think He wants you to go, and you end up in the middle of a life threatening storm! Explain that!
Well, to be honest, I can't explain it. I can tell you that God's will, if perfectly followed, will take us through some storms. In fact, I firmly believe the greatest storms are found the more obedient we are. But, just as the disciples discovered, you can be in the center of God's will, and still come across a storm...even a storm God sent your way. All of this is a part of a loving God's plan for His people. The fact that Jesus was asleep in the boat, didn't mean He wasn't always completely in control!
Tomorrow we will begin to see some reasons why we are sometimes "surprised by God", but for today, may you know that whatever surprises God has for you and me, they are for our best!
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All materials © 2008 Richard G. Schlief.
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