“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘let’s go over to the other side of the lake’. So they got into a boat and set out” (Luke 8:22)
Jesus once initiated a voyage across the sea with his disciples. In the middle of the sea, there arose a great storm such that got their boat tossed on the sea portending a threat to their lives. They were at risk of losing their lives. But guess what! The initiator of the journey was, according to Mark’s account, on the cushion sleeping, appearing as though he was less concerned about their plight which threaten their lives. Excuse me! Wasn’t he the one who invited them on a journey with him? Here is he enjoying his sleep while they battle with a life and death circumstance. The Bible says “The disciples woke him and said ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we are drown?”
At times in life we find ourselves in a situation where we hear God instruct us to do something, and we obey and set out to do it, then in the course of doing what we were instructed to do, a “storm” arises. And we become confused, we’re like “was it not God that asked me to do this? Didn’t I hear Him well? Or “did I make mistake, where did I miss it?” All kinds of questions crop up in our head. That was exactly what happened to those disciples. Life’s storm are normal especially when we are in the perfect will of God for our lives. Every genuine obedience to God must be tested.
In Genesis chapter 12, God told Abraham to leave his country, his people and his father’s household and go to the land He will show him. The promise was “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you, I will make your name great and you will be a blessing” (vs 1,2). Abraham obeyed God promptly and left as the Lord had told him. But verse 10 says that there was famine in the land – a severe one for that matter. That was his own “storm” and test for obedience.
In our boat and the storm story, the Bible says that when the disciples cried out to Jesus that they were about to perish, He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, the storm ceased and all was calm. Are you experiencing any storm, any “contrary wind” situation in any area of your life right now? Cheer up, Jesus is in the boat of your life. All will be calm, that situation will not drown you. Jesus will rebuke that storm in your life. He will ensure you don’t die in the midst of your purpose. He cares about you. Just trust him, and call upon him. Jesus can’t be in a boat and it gets drowned. Because he’s in your boat, you’ll arrive “the other side”, you’ll get to your destination regardless of the storm. Look at what He says in John gospel 16:33 “… In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” Because he overcomes, we overcome too. Hallelujah!
Trouble in this life is inevitable. But be of good cheer he didn’t initiate that journey for you to go with him only to abandon you on the way. Wherever he has destined for you to get to, you will get there. No devil will stop you. No matter the hurdles or adversity you’re faced with, repeatedly say to yourself “I am unstoppable, I will arrive my destination”. Whatever He starts, He finishes. Hebrews 12:2 says that He is the author and finisher of our faith. “Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it” (1Thess. 5:24). He’s the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
INSIGHT: because He’s in your boat, you’ll arrive “the other side”, you’ll get to your destination regardless of the storm.
Revd. A. U. Akpan is the President of Faith Activation Global Ministries, Lagos, Nigeria, in divine partnership with The Ministry Of The Word.
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