Earlier this year my travel schedule had been pretty hectic, and after arriving home, I needed to regain some semblance of peace. Taking some time away from the to-do list, and spending time on the water will usually do that for me.

So one Saturday afternoon, my husband and I threw a couple of towels and sunscreen in the car and headed to the lake where we took out a boat for a couple of hours to spend time relaxing on the water, reconnecting with each other, and with God.

Battling sudden storms

While we were out on the water, the weather turned without warning. The wind whipped up and the waves violently tossed our craft beyond our control. Steering the boat was all but impossible as the bow beat against one wave after another. The fierce journey across the wide expanse to the other side left me sick and queasy.

That experience made me think about when Jesus was out on the water in the boat with his disciples. He went out with his disciples in the boat to get away, which was the same reason we had. When we are on the water, the laundry doesn’t beckon us, changing bed sheets can wait, grocery shopping lists are suspended, and nobody can reach us. For a few moments we can enjoy peace and solitude, uninterrupted by people or to-do lists.

Jesus had called the disciples out there on the boat to get away, but while they were out there the storm came up while Jesus slept. While Jesus slept during the storm, the disciples got themselves all in a dither because they were afraid. So they woke Him up saying “Master! Master! How can you sleep during this storm?”

We all go through storms

I don’t know what kind of storm you might be going through right now. I’ve been through many in recent months and years between my husband’s cancer, evacuating my son from college for a hurricane, staff turnover, or a myriad of other things. So whether you’ve been walking through a physical storm or a figurative storm, we all go through storms.

The Bible warns us that we will go through trials, but it also says to take heart because Jesus has overcome the world!

I’ve thought about why Jesus could sleep through that storm. Some might suggest that Jesus could sleep through the storm because He was God, but I don’t think that’s true because when Jesus came to earth, He came fully as man.

Trust that God will take care of you

Perhaps the reason Jesus could sleep through the storm was because He rested completely in knowing who His father was. He trusted that His Father was going to take care of Him.

Whatever Jesus did, He was always about His father’s business and because of that He could trust that His father would take care of Him.

Our storms do not take God by surprise

So whatever storm you are going through right now, I just want to encourage you that it doesn’t take God by surprise. God is not up in heaven wringing His hands wondering, “How am I going to protect my children through this?” God already has it figured out. He knows what you are going through and He’s going to take care of you through it until you get to the other side.

Because of Him, #HopePrevails!

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