He Is With Us In the Storms

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Did you see the movie The Perfect Storm? It told the story of an actual storm off the coast of Massachusetts in 1991, one of the most powerful storms in recorded history. It was dubbed the perfect storm when two existing storms were absorbed by a hurricane, ironically named Hurricane Grace. When these three storms combined, it produced a monstrous system with effects as far north as Newfoundland, and as far south as Jamaica. In some places, waves were measured over 100 feet tall.

The Disciples experienced a smaller version of the Perfect Storm that we read about in Matthew 8. In this account, Jesus got into a boat, followed by His Disciples. “And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep" [23–24].

When I read that story this morning, it stuck me that “His disciples followed Him” into the boat. When the storm came, it was not because they disobeyed Jesus, they experienced the storm simply by following Him. Too many Christ followers think that all their troubles come from acts of disobedience. While that may be true in some cases, it’s not absolute. Storms may come into our lives as a direct result of obedience.  

Why is that, you ask? Because God can use storms in our lives to teach us His ways. My Dad was a carpenter, and he was fond of saying, “The same hammer that shatter glass also forges steel.” Of course we think it would be better not to experience storms in our lives. Who wants to go through them? But there are things we learn in storms that we can’t learn elsewhere. One of my Bible College professors often said, “Where there are no trials in life, there are no triumphs.”

God has divine purposes in the storms. But never forget, Jesus was with His disciples during the storm, He is with us too!

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with His disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. Matthew 8:23-24