Watch Your Gaze
We face many storms in our lives, looking outside we have a first hand testament to that fact. In the period of twenty four hours I could have shoveled probably six times, and there's a decent chance it might not have been enough, there's also a chance I mau be exaggerating just how much volume we recieved of snow. Living in Alberta, we witness some pretty wacky weather, along with the subsequent storms.
Saturday afternoon my wife and I amidst the snow storm and general panic amongst the populous, ventured to Walmart. Partially to get out of the house, and partially because we actually needed a few things. Now, to say there was a sense of chaos would be an oversimplification, as people seemingly forgot how to drive all together, and hoards of shoppers roamed the aisles searching for some shred of facsimile of toilet paper. Shelves barren of products, and employees repeating ad naseuam "we might have more tomorrow."
On Thursday, I learnt that at the end of the month I would be losing my job as a result of econmic downturn. It was an unpleasant revelation to put it simply. So here my family is faced on all sides, losing our source of income, watching the inventory of the grocery stores dwindle down, and a new illness creeping closer and closer to home. You start to stare at the storm forming, or that has already formed. It's easy to panic, it's easy to become restless, it's easy to feel ill-at-ease. It's easy to stare at the storm.
Don't do it.
We want to stare in to the storm that rages before us. The storm, that can suck you in the moment it has your focus. The disciples were out on the lake when a storm came upon them, meanwhile Jesus was below napping, and love that its specified asleep on a cushion. As in this guy was having a splendid nap. He was awoken by the disciples, and then proceeded to the deck. Upon reaching the deck, at the sound of his voice he spoke the word and the storm subsided, Jesus can calm the storm with a word.
(Mark 4:35-41)
When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on water. Then, his gaze shifted to the storm and he began to sink (Matthew 14:28-31). Not only is Jesus our light and our hope in the storm; He reaches out to us in it all, in the same way he reached out to Peter on the lake. We need just to reach our hand out back to him. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says to us "Peace I leave you with, Peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afriad." (John 14:27)..
David, as he was fleeing from certain death, wrote this;
"But you are a shield around me, O Lord. You bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry out, and He answers me from His holy hill. I lay down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands surrounding me on every side. The Lord blesses and delivers His people. (Psalm 3:3-6,9)
We can go to God for peace, because peace is found in His presence. Jesus tells us to go to him, for his yoke is easy and His burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30). Jesus understands human suffering, and he cares. He cared enough to break his body in order to break the chains of sin and death, and he cared enough to die for us to put an end to our own darkness once and for all. Don't just pray for peace, but draw near to the Prince of Peace.
Bow before the Lord, bring your cares to him, and humble yourself before Him. Cast your anxiety on Him, and lay your burdens at His feet. Offer your angst, and worship the Lord who created all, the God of the mountain as well as the valley.
Father,help me reject the lies of the enemy, help me trust that you are in control, for you are the author of the universe. Jesus, I repent of this anxious heart, help me believe that the spirit that raised you from the dead dwells also in me. Lead me to peace in your presence. You say to be still and know that you are God (Psalm 46:10). In you I will find my peace Lord, for your yoke is easy and your burden is light.
I leave you with this;
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35, 38-39 NIV
Saturday afternoon my wife and I amidst the snow storm and general panic amongst the populous, ventured to Walmart. Partially to get out of the house, and partially because we actually needed a few things. Now, to say there was a sense of chaos would be an oversimplification, as people seemingly forgot how to drive all together, and hoards of shoppers roamed the aisles searching for some shred of facsimile of toilet paper. Shelves barren of products, and employees repeating ad naseuam "we might have more tomorrow."
On Thursday, I learnt that at the end of the month I would be losing my job as a result of econmic downturn. It was an unpleasant revelation to put it simply. So here my family is faced on all sides, losing our source of income, watching the inventory of the grocery stores dwindle down, and a new illness creeping closer and closer to home. You start to stare at the storm forming, or that has already formed. It's easy to panic, it's easy to become restless, it's easy to feel ill-at-ease. It's easy to stare at the storm.
Don't do it.
We want to stare in to the storm that rages before us. The storm, that can suck you in the moment it has your focus. The disciples were out on the lake when a storm came upon them, meanwhile Jesus was below napping, and love that its specified asleep on a cushion. As in this guy was having a splendid nap. He was awoken by the disciples, and then proceeded to the deck. Upon reaching the deck, at the sound of his voice he spoke the word and the storm subsided, Jesus can calm the storm with a word.
(Mark 4:35-41)
When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on water. Then, his gaze shifted to the storm and he began to sink (Matthew 14:28-31). Not only is Jesus our light and our hope in the storm; He reaches out to us in it all, in the same way he reached out to Peter on the lake. We need just to reach our hand out back to him. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says to us "Peace I leave you with, Peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afriad." (John 14:27)..
David, as he was fleeing from certain death, wrote this;
"But you are a shield around me, O Lord. You bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry out, and He answers me from His holy hill. I lay down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands surrounding me on every side. The Lord blesses and delivers His people. (Psalm 3:3-6,9)
We can go to God for peace, because peace is found in His presence. Jesus tells us to go to him, for his yoke is easy and His burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30). Jesus understands human suffering, and he cares. He cared enough to break his body in order to break the chains of sin and death, and he cared enough to die for us to put an end to our own darkness once and for all. Don't just pray for peace, but draw near to the Prince of Peace.
Bow before the Lord, bring your cares to him, and humble yourself before Him. Cast your anxiety on Him, and lay your burdens at His feet. Offer your angst, and worship the Lord who created all, the God of the mountain as well as the valley.
Father,help me reject the lies of the enemy, help me trust that you are in control, for you are the author of the universe. Jesus, I repent of this anxious heart, help me believe that the spirit that raised you from the dead dwells also in me. Lead me to peace in your presence. You say to be still and know that you are God (Psalm 46:10). In you I will find my peace Lord, for your yoke is easy and your burden is light.
I leave you with this;
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35, 38-39 NIV
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