Summer Storms

Summer Storms

Luke 8:22-25

It had not yet rained at the time I prepared today’s message. It had been forecasted, promised but did not arrive. We had been waiting for days for it to rain.

I had put off trying to put the boat in the water for the first time this year because they said it was going to rain. It was Wednesday one of my two days off so instead of risking the bad weather on the water I decided to work on this message. It did not rain until 7:15pm and I had spent the entire day inside afraid of the storm instead of out on the water fishing.

It was not time wasted as you can hear I do have a message prepared for you. But I do not have any fish to bring to our Sunday School picnic. Again even if I had gone fishing I probably would not have any fish.

Today we find Jesus and the disciples out on the lake when suddenly out of nowhere a violent storm engulfs them. The boat nearly swamped the waves crashing the wind blowing the skies dark.

This was indeed a memorable event since Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all made sure to record it in their gospels. But why were these experienced fishermen so afraid? It was the intensity and violence of the storm it was its sudden unexpected arrival and it was unlike anything they had gone through before.

Some times life is just like that even when we are following Jesus and living for Him. You see it was Jesus idea to set out on the lake in the first place. Why does Jesus put His entire mission in such danger? If the disciples were to drown where would that leave Jesus?

No – you see our God knows the beginning from the end, he knows the future from the past and He knows your tomorrow from today and still He sends you and I into the storm.

It was a test of faith.

James 1:2-4

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Have you had your faith tested lately? Was it a sudden violent unexpected storm that tossed you from side to side nearly drowning you in its wake?

They come, they come in every season of life not just the summers but the fall, winter and spring of our lives as well. Still the question remains as Jesus put it – “where is your faith?”.

Friends many of us have weathered some terrible storms individually and collectively and by God’s grace we are still here – Amen. It is the unseen un-forecasted storms that catch you by surprise that build your faith.

Had I not stayed indoors on Wednesday I would have missed an opportunity to encourage a young man who is himself tossed about in a great storm at this very hour. Through our conversation I was able to share how Jesus was indeed my comforter and peace maker when I was caught up by the storms of life.

Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

It seems that Jesus wanted me to avoid the potentially bad weather in order to help a young man face his storm.

I hope and pray I was of some assistance to this young man but only time will tell. You see he was trying to fight the storm in his own strength relying as it were on his own experience with his own hand on the tiller.

How like the rest of us is he? A few weeks ago I showed the video of Carrie Underwood’s song “Jesus take the wheel.” It reminded all of us who we should let steer our lives. This young man is wrestling against the winds and waves of his storm.

I encouraged him to trust God but he said he heard all that before he said he wanted to find his own way unlike the disciples he did not want to wake Jesus up to address the danger he was facing.

Yes you can try to pilot your own vessel through the storm but why risk complete disaster when the Master is within reach?

Maybe this young man had seen Christians face storms in a panic at the sight of every little cloud in their lives? Maybe he had not yet developed the perseverance that he needed. Sometimes we do tell God we have had enough but still the storm rages on. I’m not sure of the reason but I pray he does not trust in his own strength. Remember Samson who relied on his own strength?