45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd....50 Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.
To give you some context; Jesus sent the disciples somewhere, to their next mission, leaving behind what they had done in the past. The disciples get in a storm, everything is going nuts, the disciples are freaked out, scared, and lacked faith even WITH Jesus present. All they want was to arrive at their destination. Sound similar?
After hearing a sermon on this passage I was challenged with the question; What do you do when your not where you used to be, but your also not where your suppose to be?
The disciples had been sent out. Jesus was taking them to a new place. He has a destination for them. In the middle of the journey they find themselves in a storm. They are no longer where they used to be but they are also not where they are suppose to be. The passage presents 3 things;
1) Jesus steps in the boat and the storm calms.
- His presence in our situation will calm all storms of life
2)They lacked faith, hearts were harden (v.52) Yet STILL arrived
- You and your ability have nothing to do with God's faithfulness in the storm.
3)The only thing they did to get to the other side is stay on the boat.
-dont jump ship,even if your scared, just stay in the boat.
We sometimes want God to tell us when we are going to arrive, He simply says "When we arrive". What do we do once we leave where we used to be but are not where we are going to be. What do we do with the "meantime". There is only one thing we can do and that is, stay on the boat. This statement is more profound then we think. I doesn't mean that you wont get tempted to give up, you will, i am sure the disciples did, but don't give up!
In the "meantime" we learn about God's grace that keeps us (v.51), we learn about our own inability to get where God wants to take us without Jesus, and we learn that there is always a season where you aren't comfortable but He is with us.
I find myself in a rather interesting season as i suppose you do as well. You know God has something for you in the next season. You know God has prepared good things for your future. You have seen a vision of what God wants to do in your life. You have discovered your calling. Then God says "Ok, now endure the 'meantime' season."
I know, I know, it makes you want to pull your hair out. You have been waiting and waiting and God finally takes you out, gives you a glimpse of where you are going, but then places you in a "meantime" season. There is ONLY one thing that the disciples did to get to the other side. Or rather one thing they didn't do. They didn't jump ship. They stayed on the boat. No matter what season is headed your way, embrace this one. Today impacts tomorrow a whole lot more than you know. I leave you with this;
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6,7
