Jesus Christ, Captain

“But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to him, and awoke him saying, “Master, master, we perish!  Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.”  Luke 8:23, 24

The realization over the years, that all I am is just a “jar of clay,” a vessel who contains the Lord, has made great sense to me.  So when something coming at me or even when I, start to “shake” in my life, I must stop and TURN to the LORD!

We all are still in earthen vessels that exhibit weaknesses, aging bodies, subject to temptations, and thoughts that want to play “ping pong” in the mind.

Let’s picture that we are spirits dwelling in containers (our mortal bodies), but let’s call them boats.   We are not in these boats by ourselves.  Praise the Lord! 

So when something starts to “shake” the boat whether it be a trial, an illness, a persecution, a thought attacking us related to our weakness or former weaknesses, (or accusations from the evil one), what do we do?  

The answer is and shall always be:  Turn to the Lord in our hearts where He dwells.

 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God!”

In previous days, my understanding was to struggle.  Yet in doing so, I was preoccupied with the “storm,” and not experiencing peace nor getting His insight, or expressing faith in Him.

Paul wrote that the renewal of our minds not only would transform us, but later writes in the same letter to the Romans this glorious word:  “May the God of all hope fill you with ALL joy and peace in believing, abounding in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13

When I was searching out God’s way to walk this Christian life, the key is truly believing God’s Word and laying hold of it.  Yet something else helped me and was life-changing for me.

That I daily recognize the living Presence of Jesus Christ in my heart through His Holy Spirit who said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” Also believe that His sacrifice secures my relationship with Him.

And then I discovered Paul’s prayer (it’s not a secret – it was always in the Scripture) found in Ephesians 3:  “That God would grant us to be strengthened with might by His Holy Spirit in the inner man where Christ dwells in our hearts through faith – that we would be rooted and grounded in love…” knowing this love does surpass knowledge and filled with all the fullness of God.

For me, there was nothing wrong with me fully understanding that I am nobody special – didn’t have to be nor indeed am I.  But I was and am someone who needs to know the Lord and to be strengthened in Him so I did not, nor would not now, walk around like some “shaky” boat on the sea of life.  God invited the “least to the greatest to know Him,” and I remember when I laid hold of that Word of God.

Jesus is in you and me, our boats.  And to trust Him, even when something or someone assails us, is sometimes the hard part, because we could forget that His way is to ALWAYS turn to HIM in faith.

Part of the deception of the evil one is how he causes people who do not have Christ to have things go well for them so there is number one, no need for Christ or His salvation, and they do not experience some of the trials Christians do after they receive the Lord.  They may experience trials of this life like all do, but in their human effort, they try to find a way to handle them.

Some of those disciples were fishermen.  Surely they had been in storms before and dealt with them as would all fishermen.  So what was different about this storm that made them fearful and say to the Lord that they were perishing? 

Well I personally believe this storm involved Satanic powers to destroy the Lord (he often tried this through men).  And here Jesus was asleep.  Amazing to me because the Lord knew His time and mission by God was for the cross – not to die before His time by the hands of men without God, but by the Hand of God through men.  Also, the fact that the Lord rebuked the storm shows there was something there than more than just a rainfall.

Then when Jesus brought the calm the disciples said, “What manner of man is this that the winds and waters obey Him?” (Verse 25 – Luke 8)

Amazing, as I said last devotion, that this Jesus Christ (glorified and risen) lives in us by His Holy Spirit.  He is the Commander, Captain of our boat – little ‘ol us!

There is another way of saying these things but I also love pictures.  J John wrote it:  Abide in Him.

There’s no other way to walk this life on the planet except abiding in Him, turning to Him, letting Him be Master, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Deliverer, Shepherd, Bishop of our Souls (mind renewal), Hope, Life, Goodness, Mercy, Wisdom, Power, Guide, Knowledge, Love, Fruit Bearer, and Faithful to us.

For today let me end on this note - Thinking on Who He is.  Next devotion I’ll share just a little more!

In Him,

Sue Gaither