What will Jesus offer when we follow Him? Some say wealth, positions, or popularity. But here is how it is in the Bible. Matthew 8:23 says, "Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him." The disciples simply did as Jesus did. They entered the boat where Jesus stepped in. The next verse says, "And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves." The disciples must have expected a smooth voyage with Jesus in their boat, but what happened was the opposite. The situation was so intense that the waves not only surrounded the boat but also covered it. That must have been truly frightening and could make anyone feel helpless.
Amidst all the confusion, it says that Jesus was asleep. When they called for help, He told them not to be fearful and taught them how to handle the waves that made them feel as though they would perish. Verse 26 goes like this: "He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea." The end result, as the Bible says, was that "there was a great calm." When we are in the middle of doubt, confusion, and fear that scares us, let's not be afraid or believe we are going to drown and perish in it. Instead, let us stand in faith, with the waters covering our feet, and rebuke them in Jesus' name. As we know, the winds and the sea must obey Him. Let us never forget that Jesus lives in us, even when we feel scared or depressed. Let us not ask, "Who is this?" but rather know who is inside us and rebuke that which instills fear in us.
Hey friend, waves are often symbolic of troubles and confusions in our lives. The disciples had Jesus with them—they had someone who could calm the situation—yet they were afraid they would perish. Even when we know Jesus is with us, when we see and feel trouble around us, we let the power of Jesus, our strength, who can overcome the world, sleep within us. Let us always remember to rebuke the troubled thoughts that try to depress us, overcome the storm, and receive the calm from Him who is in us, before whom the wind and the waves will submit.
Now let's ask ourselves what will we get when we follow Jesus? We get calm in the midst of strom. We get clarity in the midst of confusion around us. We don't have fear but faith. We do not perish but overcome!
Dear God, we submit our troubles and confused minds into Your hands. Now, we rebuke the spirit of confusion that rises against us in Jesus' name. Thank You for Your powerful name, Lord. We subdue every thought against us in Jesus' name. Thank You for giving us calm. In Jesus' name, we thank You. Amen.
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