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Monday, February 8, 2016

Praising God is easy when life is good and you see a future full of hope. Every now and then though, life throws you a curve ball putting you smack in the middle of an out of control storm. The storm could be a broken family, physical illness or perhaps a financial situation. Before the storm you could see God in every area of your life, you believed Him, and you trusted Him. However, the unexpected has now happened! Suddenly, it is not so easy to trust God. Suddenly, He appears to be absent and this is not what you were expecting from Him.

On one occasion, Jesus sent His disciples on a training day, solo mission trip. This time He would not go with them. Hours later, they returned triumphant accompanied by a multitude of people they had recruited. They were certain Jesus would sign everyone up and finally overthrow their enemy, the Roman Empire. However, Jesus did the opposite. Jesus made the disciples climb into a boat, dismissing the crowds; He departed to spend some alone time with God. This is not what the disciples had expected.

Matthew 14:22-24 NIV

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

It was evening and the disciples were puzzled as their boat floated on the waters. Suddenly, they found themselves in the middle of an out of control storm. More than likely they asked themselves the same question we ask ourselves when struck by the unexpected storms of life: If God is God why would He allow […]?

Matthew 14:25-27 NIV

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

The minutes had turned into hours with no sign of Jesus. Shortly before dawn, Jesus appears, walking on the waters. Instead of praising God, the disciples were terrified! Instead of shouting for joy, they cried out in fear. However, when Jesus climbed into their boat, the winds calmed down and the storm disappeared as quickly as it had started. Then, something amazing happened in the hearts of the disciples.

Matthew 14:33 NIV

Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

When you go through the storms of life is when you discover the God who will far exceed your expectations of Him. When you are unable to see Him, it does not mean that He cannot see you. Do not fear it is not a ghost. Moreover, the sound you hear is not the wind. What you are hearing is the sound of His voice saying; do not be afraid.

It is easy to praise God when life is good. However, when you go through the storm, and He saves you, then and only then will you worship Him, and discover that He will by far surpass your expectations of Him.