Can we find peace at a time when everything around us seems so uncertain?
Matthew 8:23-27 "And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"
Listening today to an online gospel message speaking of ‘Perfect Peace’, I thought of this passage in Matthews gospel where the disciples are travelling in a boat with the Lord Jesus when a storm arises. I am sure we will all agree that we are very much in a storm, unlike any we have ever seen before. For some of us we are in the ‘calm before the storm’, we have been making preparations and following the guidelines, but aside from in the news, we have seen very little of this storm. For others however the tsunami has very much hit. Whichever the case is for you, we know that we are all in this storm, and perhaps as a result of this, peace seems like a far off concept.
The disciples had just spent another day with the Lord Jesus, being taught by Him, asking Him questions, witnessing Him perform many varied miracles. Now in the boat, a storm arises. Instantly all other thoughts escape them, and panic ensues, yet all the time the Lord Jesus is in the boat with them, the source of all help is at their fingertips. Eventually they turn to Jesus, but not in assured faith, in another gospel record we are told some of the disciples ask ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish?’. They had lost sight of their faith and the certainty of God’s care.
When life’s storms come, how strong is your faith? What do you place this faith in?
Time and time again in the scriptures, God reminds us to come to Him and He will provide all our needs, and yet all too often the world rejects God and all that He offers. During the storms of life, the believer can look to God with certainty.
The psalmist demonstrated this faith in the opening words of the 121st Psalm:
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth."
God does not promise that those who follow Him will not face trials, He simply assures that in the trials of life He is there, hence we can know ‘Perfect Peace’. The gospel message offers this peace to every single person today.
To receive this peace however we must turn from a life of sin and trust in the Saviour of sinners. The world has turned away from God and sin abounds, but God offers hope through His Son the Lord Jesus. This hope can be had freely by you today, if you will simply trust in Him. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
Comments