A story is told of Two hunters who came across a bear so big that they dropped their rifles and ran for cover. One man climbed a tree while the other hid in a nearby cave. The bear was in no hurry to eat, so he sat down between the tree and the cave to reflect upon his good fortune. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, the hunter in the cave came rushing out, almost ran into the waiting bear, hesitated, and then dashed back in again. The same thing happened a second time. When he emerged for the third time, his companion in the tree frantically called out, “Woody, are you crazy? Stay in the cave till he leaves!” “Can’t,” panted Woody, “there’s another bear in there.”
Do you ever feel like the hunter in the cave? Like every time you turn around there is another problem just waiting for you. Like no matter what you do you just can’t escape from your troubles.
A photographer for a national magazine was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene hampered him and he asked his home office to hire a plane. Arrangements were made and he was told to go at once to a nearby airport, where the plane would be waiting. When he arrived at the airport, a plane was warming up near the runway. He jumped in with his equipment and yelled, “Let’s go! Let’s go!” The pilot swung the plane into the wind and they soon were in the air. “Fly over the north side of the fire,” yelled the photographer, “and make three or four low level passes.” “Why?” asked the pilot. “Because I’m going to take pictures,” cried the photographer. “I’m a photographer and photographers take pictures!” After a pause the pilot said, “You mean you’re not the instructor?”
These two stories point problems and storms face all and lurk behind potentially every corner.
Throughout this month we have focused upon our personal life storms. Storms that rage and rob us of our peace and joy. Let’s once again revisit Matthew chapter 14 again beginning in verse but this time let’s focus upon Peter. Each of the disciples faced the same life threatening but only one disciple faced the storm with faith asking Jesus if he could walk on the water with him. Choosing to rise above the storm.
Would you once again turn with in your bibles to Matthew Chapter 14 beginning in verse 22.
In the midst of the storm Jesus personally teaches Peter several truths and in the midst of this passage we too find several truths we can apply to our lives so that we can rise above our own personal life storms.
.
First in the midst of our life storm we must respond to the call of God
The storm was raging ferociously around the small fishing vessel and by all appearances twelve men were about to be lost at sea. However, something marvelous and miraculous unexpectedly happened. Jesus approached the boat walking on the water. At first the disciples were frightened by his appearance, but Jesus comforts them by reassuring them that it is him.
When Peter realizes that it is Jesus not a ghost. He asks Jesus to command him to invite him to join him on the water. Walking on the water with Jesus- Rising above the storm. With that Jesus says basically come on. You can bet that Jesus was smiling. Instead of staying in the boat battling the storm Peter chose to climb out of the boat and walk with Jesus.
Right now in your life storm Choose to meet Jesus and rise above the storm. Stepping out of the storm and allowing Jesus to give you fresh perspective, but in order to gain that perspective we must have a faith that responds with action.
William Booth said, “Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again -- until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other”
Like Peter, we must be willing to step out in faith when Christ calls us. The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see. In the midst of the storm respond in faith that Jesus is there and take the time to ask what you are to do to rise above the fray of
Second keep our eyes focused upon Jesus
Peter boldly stepped out of the boat by faith and began to walk on the water to Jesus. But his triumph quickly turned to tragedy when his focus shifted from the Savior to the storm and he began to sink. As long as his faith was focused on Christ, Peter was empowered to do the miraculous. But the crashing waves and the howling wind caused him to lose faith by losing focus on Jesus. As soon as Peter realized what was happening he immediately turned his focus back to the Lord as he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
It was a fog-shrouded morning, July 4, 1952, when a young woman named Florence Chadwick waded into the water off Catalina Island. She intended to swim the channel from the island to the California coast. Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.
The water was numbing cold that day. The fog was so thick she could hardly see the boats in her party. Several times sharks had to be driven away with rifle fire. She swam more than 15 hours before she asked to be taken out of the water. Her trainer tried to encourage her to swim on since they were so close to land, but when Florence looked, all she saw was fog. So she quit . . . only one mile from her goal.
Later she said, “I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the land I might have made it.” It wasn’t the cold or fear of exhaustion that caused Florence Chadwick to fail. It was the fog. Many times we too fail, not because of fear or frustration, but because we lose sight of the goal. Two months after her failure, Florence Chadwick walked off the same beach into the same channel and swam the distance, setting a new speed record, because she could see the land.
We cannot afford to allow the storms of life to distract us from the One who is calling us to himself .
Third embrace the peace of God
After Jesus rescued Peter from drowning, they walked on the water back to the boat and got in. The moment that Jesus entered the boat there was peace as the storm lost its power and died. The storms of life are powerless when the presence of Christ fills our lives and produces peace in our lives. The truth is there can be no true peace in our lives apart from the presence of Christ in our lives.
There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who say this picture though that it was a perfect picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightning flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. in the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest in perfect peace.
Which do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why? “Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.” True peace is found not the absence of crisis, but in the presence of Christ. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
When Christ calls obey. When storms distract you pray. When Christ comes let Him stay.
Choose today to let Jesus help you rise above your life storm. Remembering Jesus’s words It is all right. I am here. Don’t be afraid.
