10 June 2020

Our World appears to be in Crisis. With the deaths of black men and women to unjust causes that have been happening recently, but also over hundreds of years all around the world, and so many protest marches that have been occurring.

Many millions of lives are decimated by the Covid-19 virus with deaths, bankruptcies, and rife unemployment.

It is hard to think of anything else besides what is unfolding in our Communities, and what is being seen on every tv station. As a result, it can be tempting to lose our peace.

In Mark 4: 37 – 40 (AMP), it says, “And a fierce windstorm began to blow and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep with his head on the cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are about to die?”

The circumstances there on the water did not look good. Even the disciples who were fishermen, and were very used to the water and storms, were afraid. It frustrated them greatly that Jesus was asleep. He did not seem to care about their situation! They were going to die!

Jesus response was noted in verse 39. “And He got up and sternly rebuked the wind and said to the seas, “Hush be still, be muzzled.”

And the wind died down as if it had grown weary and there was at once a great calm – a perfect peacefulness.

In verse 40, Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith and confidence in Me?” That is the response Jesus would say to us right now too. Trust in Me. Have Faith in Me. Be at Peace. The outward circumstances don’t look good. It appears scary. It can be very overwhelming. But do not be afraid! I am with you. I am in charge.

Just like David in Psalm 61:2, “From the end of the earth I will cry to you. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

We are reminded time and time again that God is looking after us. In Psalm 94:19, it says, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

In Psalm 37:24, it says, “Though He may stumble, he will not fall for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

This “storm” in our world right now did not take God by surprise. He knew all of what was going to occur, and He wants us to remember He is with us. God is in our boat with us right now and we will not be harmed.

Faith may look messy. I still have my hair all windswept and knotted from the storm, my clothes are matted by the wind and rain and waves that are crashing over the bow of my life, but I have an inner peace and calm that only God brings and I move forward into the unknown with confidence and certainty that I follow a God who is my Protector, as described in Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my protector, He is my strong fortress. My God is my protection and with Him I am safe.”

Now more than ever I need to hold onto the promise in Jeremiah 29:11, “He knows the plans He has for us, plans to prosper, plans to give us a hope and a future.”

When we Hope in Him, – Christ Jesus, – that is beyond ourselves and our ability, Our Saviour cannot help but come to Our Aid. Our Saviour comes with all the Power of the resurrection available to us.

Christian Hope is the confident affirmation that God is Faithful, that He will complete what He has begun.  That we have confidence that things will ‘work out’ especially when it seems otherwise. This confident expectation which waits patiently and full of love for God’s purposes to be fulfilled.

Hope believes at times in the impossible.

But we follow and trust in a ‘Possible God’ of all impossibilities.

Remember, “when we are down to nothing,

                         God is up to something.”

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Where is the storm in your life? Do you have faith that God will bring you peace?

Where do you need to trust in the God of impossibilities?