Note from Jesus
Dear Friend,
How’s your boat? No, I’m not talking about a literal boat you may own. I’m talking about the things in your life that furnish you security, a sense of safety, identity, order, or purpose.
So let Me ask you again. How’s your boat? Are your investments up or down? Do you own your stuff or does your stuff own you? Has the job or person you trusted for security let you down? Are you working madly to keep your body and your appearance looking young and vibrant while fearing that aging is stealing away your identity and usefulness? Is your family all that you hoped it would be? Have your achievements brought you joy and a sense of fulfillment, or do you feel as if you have to accomplish more to be significant?
Your boat is whatever you have used as your sense of safety, security, identity, order, or purpose. So how’s your boat?
Here’s the truth: Sooner or later, something much bigger than you, something you can’t control, is going to rock your boat! So what are you going to do then? How are you going to face the raging storms of life if you are depending on a fragile and temporal boat?
Today’s verses speak directly to one of life’s harshest truths: no mortal can protect or even navigate his or her boat in the face of life’s raging realities. Many who claim to follow Me have had Me along as a sleeping passenger, a mere mascot, someone to talk to through some of the minor squalls of life when they needed something fixed. They never really have given Me control of their boat. They’ve never handed Me control of the sails and rudder. Then when life’s storms hit, they want to know why I’ve let the troubles of life threaten them.
So when the next storm hits and rocks your boat and scares you down to the depths of your soul, what are you going to do? I hope it will be this: I hope you will wake Me from being your sleeping mascot. I hope you will ask Me for help. And most of all, I hope when it is all done, you will ask the questions My disciples did when the storm rocked their boat:
Who is this man? How can He command wind and water so they do what He says?
Then, I hope you will make Me your boat and not just your mascot! Better yet, why not make Me your boat, your Master, your Lord, today… before the next storm hits and the waves pound and the wind blows?
Verses to Live
As you read today’s verses, ask yourself, “What is my boat?” Answer as honestly as you can. Then invite Me to be more than your passenger or your mascot; ask Me to be your Boat — to provide you security, direction, and your future.
Picture this:
One day Jesus and His disciples get into a boat.
Jesus:
Let’s cross the lake.
So they push off from shore and begin sailing to the far side. As they progress across the lake, Jesus falls sound asleep. Soon a raging storm blows in. The waves wash over the sides of the boat, and the boat starts filling up with water. Every second the situation becomes more dangerous.
The disciples shake Jesus and wake Him.
Disciples (shouting):
Master! Master! We’re all going to die!
Jesus wakes up and tells the wind to stop whipping them around, and He tells the furious waves to calm down. They do just that. Then Jesus turns to the disciples.
Jesus:
What happened to your faith?
The disciples had been terrified during the storm, but now they’re afraid in another way. They turn to each other and start whispering, chattering, and wondering.
Disciples:
Who is this man? How can He command wind and water so they do what He says?
(Luke 8:22-25)
Response in Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive me for making other things in my life my basis of security. I want You to be Lord of my life and the basis of my security. Please help me as I make You my Boat! Amen.
‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware.
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.