December World Missions Devotion

Editor’s note:  The following devotion was written by Craig Wentzel.

Sometimes, it feels like our lives are “boats” afloat on the “ocean” of life.  A boat can be really unsteady and, as a passenger, you feel like you’re not in control.  This can be true of us as the busyness of the Christmas season threatens to “engulf” us, or there are “tsunamis” of major problems or troubles looming over us about to “crush” us, or there are “huge waves” of feelings like discouragement, or fear, or indecision      “crashing” over us.

This fall, I was in such a “storm” as my wife was facing her last days of struggling with cancer.  The account of Jesus stilling the storm in Luke 8:22-25 was helpful in my situation…

Now it came to pass on one of those days, that he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples; and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake: and they launched forth.  But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, We perish. And he awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.  And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And being afraid they marveled, saying one to another, Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him?

I learned 3 lessons from this story:

1) I’ve learned that the “boat” of our lives may easily be “rocked” by the “storms” of life.  Even the “friends” of Jesus who are following His lead will run into “storms” in life.  Such a “storm” can take control of our lives to some extent and make the decisions FOR us!  We can find health, financial, or other problems, or even other people, can make decisions for us.

2) I’ve learned that we have no control over the “boat” of our lives. The disciples found that they couldn’t keep the waves out of their boat.  They were about to be “swamped” and sunk.  Sometimes, WE may feel like the “storms” of life are “sinking” us and we are being overwhelmed with troubles and feelings.  And they couldn’t go in the right direction!  When the “storms” of life overtake us, we can’t go in the direction we planned on going.  I’ve learned that when you lose your spouse, your life takes a different direction and looks differently to you than you ever planned!  When the disciples lost control of their boat, they ran to Jesus and when we lose control of our lives in a “storm”, it is a good time to go running to Jesus in prayer!

3) I’ve learned that Jesus is in control of ALL things.  Jesus is in control of “storms” or events of our lives (Lk. 8:25b)!  He will make them turn out for OUR good (Rom. 8:28).  And He will bring an end to them at the RIGHT time (Ps. 31:14-15a).  Jesus is also in control of the “boat” of my life!  Another time when the disciples were in a storm and Jesus came to them is recorded in Jn. 6:21.  Jesus brought them safely to where He wanted them to go and He will bring ME safely to where He wants me to go!

When we feel like things are “out of control” for us, we can always go to Jesus who is in control of all things!