Stretching Our Faith

​Meditation
Mark 4:37-41--A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?”He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?”And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
 

I love this story!    Never have I been tossed in a boat in the middle of a storm but I can certainly imagine the terror high winds and treacherous waves would invoke. There was a good reason I did not join the Navy.  I really like dry ground.  But in reading this story this morning, a new thought crossed my mind.  Jesus asked His followers why they were fearful.  To them the answer was quite obvious—we’re going to die!  But on closer examination, they had never seen a raging sea calmed by a spoken rebuke. The thought of the wind and water obeying was simply outlandish (pun intended).  

Isn’t this so true of us?  We get into situations that seem overwhelming and bailing water is not working.  In truth, our faith needs to be stretched.  We need to go to God for help.  We need to trust Jesus that He has everything in control.  Faith is not fed by the ordinary.  It is nourished by the extraordinary.   Fellow disciples, the next time a storm smacks you, stand up on the rocking boat and command the sea to be still in the mighty name of Jesus.  Whatever the storm, Jesus is still the Calmer.  Let’s trust Him more and not let the circumstances swamp us.  Something to think about . . . in reveration!
 
Inspiration
It is the trial of your faith that makes you wealthy, and it works in this way:  every time you venture out on the life of faith, you will come across something in your actual life which seems to contradict absolutely what your faith in God says you should believe.  Go through the trial of faith and lay up your confidence in God, not in your common-sense, and you will gain so much wealth in your heavenly banking account, and the more you go through the trial of faith the wealthier you will become in the heavenly regions, until you go through difficulties smilingly and men wonder where your wealth of trust comes from.—Oswald Chambers in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount
 
©2019 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)