It’s an amazing thing when God gives you exactly what you need to hear when you need to hear it!  I read Mary’s post this morning and felt God’s perfect timing slip into place.  Next week we begin a conversation together about Sabbath.  What is it?  What’s it for?  There are a lot of questions surrounding the topic of Sabbath but at the heart of my thinking on the topic is my desperate need for rest.  I want to invite you to begin the conversation today.  Are you in need of some real rest in life?

I hope you enjoy Mary’s words as much as I did!

Believing great things are ahead!  Pastor Jon

Sleeping in the Boat

I think just about everyone in the US, Christian or not, has heard the verse in Mark 4:37-41 where Jesus calms the storm.

“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

When we read this we see the power that Jesus has to calm the storm.  The storm can be a metaphor for the storms of life. And Jesus is hurt when we get upset about things we can’t control and for our lack faith in Him.  After all He’s God and He’s got this…yet we get scared.  We worry.

This got me thinking about what life looks like when we take our eyes off of Christ and focus on the storm.  It’s pretty scary!  Image having to worry about all the things we can’t control instead of giving them up to God. I know I’d done that before.  You day starts off by worrying if you’re on time, what you’ll wear, if you got everything done yesterday that you had to, if person A is mad at you, if you will succeed in your challenges today on and on.  I get tired just writing this…but that is what we do isn’t it?  When we take our eyes off God?  When we play God?

Recently I’ve made a decision (that I re-make each day) that has changed my life.  I decided to sleep in the boat next to Jesus no matter what’s going on.  I have decided to believe His promises in Matthew 11:28-30 that I am to come to Him and He will give me rest.

And you know what crazy things has  happened when I chose to believe?  I actually have rest and peace.  My soul is released and I start to create; to draw to write. To be free.

Try it.  What do you have to lose?

Mary R Miller