Ps. George Kovoor
5th September 2010

As the Israelites walked in the desert, our Lord provided daily manna, just enough for that day. Similarly, we must expect a new Word from God every single day. His mercies are new every morning! Praise the Lord!

Sometimes when we are tossed by troubling waves, it is difficult to see how God works or why He allows painful circumstances in our lives. We must learn from the disciples’ ‘tips for surviving a storm’ that is found in Mark chapter 4 and verse 35 onwards.

• And Jesus said “Let us go to the other side….”Our Lord was clear in His instructions. He said that they would go to the other side. He intended to reach there. He didn’t say ‘let us go to the middle of the sea and drown’. We need to listen carefully to what He tells us. His Word is the sure foundation that will see us through a storm. His Word is enough to sustain us.
• It must have been quite a violent storm, as it scared even seasoned fishermen. Did our Lord Jesus know that there would be a storm once they reached the middle of the sea? Yes He did, through His divinity. He didn’t tell the disciples, because He knew that none of them would be willing to navigate through stormy weather, if they knew what was to come. And He didn’t stop the storm either. It is necessary and extremely beneficial if we don’t avoid painful circumstances and instead plunge right into them, trusting Him to see us through.
• Before we plunge into the swirling waters though, we must be sure that our Lord is in our boat. The disciples would have surely drowned if our Lord was not with them. It is not enough to be close to the pastors’ boat, a secondhand relationship is not enough, we must know our God personally and we must have a personal relationship with Him. He must be in our boat so that we will have safe passage in times of storm.
• When the disciples woke Him up, He didn’t rebuke them. Instead He rebuked the storm. The storm came to prevent our Lord Jesus from going over to the other side in order to deliver a demon possessed man. Our Lord Jesus knows our weakness and sympathises with us. He loves us with an everlasting love and He does not condemn us.

The disciples survived that storm, they made it to the other side. And so will we. The storm will only last for a short time, but its effects will last for eternity. When we pass through a storm with our Lord, we are drawn closer to Him and we are able to trust Him more. At the end of the storm, there will be a great deliverance.

Though the tempest rages around you
And the wind howls loudly in your ear,
Turn your eyes and heart to seek Him,
With Him, there is nothing to fear.

He will shelter and will shield you,
His presence, He will give,
The vilest storm cannot destroy you,
Because of Him, you’ll live.

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