Thoughtful Thursday: Don’t get on the wrong boat!

About 3 years ago, we had Missionary Mark Holmes visit our church and he preached a message that spoke to my heart that night and I still reflect on it from time to time. 

The text was Mark 4:35-41 “And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.  And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.   And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?   And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.   And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?  And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

In this story, Jesus calmed the storm.  Every one of us is in or has been in a storm or two in their lives.  It’s never fun.  It’s never easy.  But it’s always necessary.  It is what you do before, during and after the storm that determines the outcome.  Here are some things Bro. Holmes brought out about what to do when you’re going thru the storm:

-Don’t stay on the wrong side.  Determine to go, even if you can see the storm ahead.

-Don’t get on the wrong boat.  Make sure you have Christ with you.

-Don’t pray for the storm to go away.  He will use the storm to strengthen you.

I know that there have been several “storms” in my life over the past 5 years. 

I’m glad that I didn’t stay on the wrong side when God finally got a hold of my heart after being astray for so long. 

I’m glad that I got on the right boat when He called me to serve Him in full-time Christian service. 

I’m glad that I didn’t pray for those storms to go away while I was going through them, because they have helped prepare me for what lies ahead.

I hope you will consider these things while you are going into, going through or just coming out of a storm.