Who is in your boat?

  Life will take us down many roads and across many waters.  Those roads will at times be rocky, and those waters turbulent.  There is nothing new about this.  There will be storms.  It is going to get unpleasant, and sometimes scary. What we have to ask ourselves is one simple question.  "Who is in the boat with me?"

  The boat, of course, is metaphorical.  The question however is the same.  Either we are on board with Jesus Christ or we aren't.  If we are, in fact, on board with our Lord and Savior we have nothing to fear.  Remembering this isn't always easy.  The twelve disciples found it difficult, even with Jesus there in plain sight.

    Luke 8: 22-25

  One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Lets go over to the other side of the lake.". So they got into the boat and set out.  As they sailed, he fell asleep.  A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
  The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, we're going to drown!"
  He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.  "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
  In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this?  He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

  They had, at this point, seen countless miracles by His hand.  They had every reason to stand firm in the knowledge that their master would save them.  Yet, despite all of this, they faltered.  Panic took them.  They cried out, "We are going to drown!" They did one thing right.  When all seemed lost, they called out to Jesus.  What they had failed to see, was that He was with them the whole time.

  I am reminded of the story of the footprints in the sand.  The individual is talking to Jesus.  The person points out that through most of his life there are two sets of footprints.  He is upset though, because there are portions of his life's path where only one set can be seen.  These are the times the man remembers being the hardest.  These are the times he thought he would never make it through.  He demands to know why.  He wants to know why he sees two sets of footprints where his life was easy, but the minute things got tough that second set seems to have disappeared.  He asks why, why wasn't Jesus there?  Why is there only one set of footprints when having the Lord there at his side would have really counted for something?   In this story, Jesus gives only one reply.  He says, "Where you see only one set of footprints, I carried you."

  This is a story (from a much debated source)told to  illustrate a point.  It is that same point that was missed by the disciples in the boat.  Do we know who we have with us?  Are we missing the gravity of WHO HE IS.  The creator of the universe is with us every step of the way.  What we must do when the world  around us slides into chaos, is take a deep breath and remember.  We have to trust in Him.  Nothing can compete with WHO HE IS.  "He commands even the winds and the water."  

  There is nothing wrong with crying out to the Lord.  There is everything right with doing exactly that.  Just remember, He already knows.  He is there with you.  Do not lose faith.  Do not fear.  Cry out to the Lord, but do not be reduced to panic and fear.  Do not forget who it is that you have in the boat.

Where is you linen belt?

Read Jeremiah 13: 1-11

It is a powerful illustration that God gives to Jeremiah. How many of us take a look back and realize that we have left our linen belt to the elements? Will we continue on as we have and let it fall to ruin? God has made a covenant with all of us. That covenant was signed and sealed by Jesus Christ. He has purchased our freedom with His blood. The father is our provider. His son Jesus is our advocate, our savior. We have been given many gifts, and the Holy Spirit has come to us as the foreman to ensure that we know how to use them and use them well. He is there to ensure that we finish strong. He guides us, instructs us, and is our comforter when the task seems to be too much.
We have all heard the phrase, “Use it or lose it.” Trainers like to use that phrase. Unused muscles fall to atrophy. Unused talents lose there edge without practice. Are our spiritual gifts any different? We have been given everything by God. Nothing can happen unless He allows it.
God gave everything to the people of Israel. They lived in a blessed land, rich in every form of wealth. On the thrown, was a line of kings promised by God to continue for all eternity. They could not fail. He would not let them. Nobody had it better than the people of Israel. If someone gave you all of the riches you desired, would you be grateful? What if you were given the promise that your continued faithfulness would be rewarded in this way for all eternity? The people of Israel had exactly that, and yet the faltered. They fell away. They squandered their wealth and ignored the gift of God’s promise.
That promise became useless to them. God did not remove His blessing or His promise. At the same time, the people of Israel had lost faith and wasted their gifts. God did not take them away. He made them useless to those who would not use them. They were ruined, like the linen belt left to the elements for many days.
In Christ, God’s promise to Israel is fulfilled. David’s line will reign forever. Christ, the King of Kings’ reign will never end. He is the redeemer and he has made a new covenant with us.

Matthew 26:27-28

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Christ has made with us a new covenant. We have His promise. We have also been given new gifts. We have been promised all the riches of the kingdom of heaven. We are to be it’s citizens. We have been given the gifts we need to further that kingdom now. They are the gifts that we need to make it grow. They are the gifts we need to glorify God and to spread his message to our fellow man, lifting up one another in love and kindness.
In 1 Corinthians 12 we read about the many spiritual gifts given to us, the people who make up the body of Christ. Every part has it’s purpose and all are needed to function as we should. What is your gift? Do you know? You have one. Every one of us does. Get into the scriptures. Pray to the Lord. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you. He is there, waiting. We are His. Our father and provider wants to see us succeed. Our advocate is ready, at the banquet, to stand beside us before the father and call us friend. He has already paid the price of our admittance. The Holy Spirit is there for us. Our foreman is working to ensure that we get the job done between now and the day of the feast.
We have been given the tools to succeed. These gifts have been given to us by God. Will we use them to the fullest or will our linen belts fall to ruin?