"Who Is This Man?"

The disciples had just witnessed what they thought to be impossible. Mark recorded that on Jesus' instructions they had left out to go across the lake, and with Jesus asleep in the back of the boat, "Suddenly a strong wind blew up, and the waves began to spill over into the boat, so that it was about to fill with water" (4:37, GNB). Terrified, they woke and rebuked Jesus for not caring enough. We are then told, "Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, 'Be quiet!' and he said to the waves, 'Be still!' The wind died down, and there was a great calm. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Why are you frightened? Do you still have no faith?' But they were terribly afraid and began to say to one another, 'Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him!' (vv.38-41).

Who is this man? According to Mark's account, from the start of Jesus' ministry, these men had seen a lot. They saw Him heal the man with the evil spirit in Capernaum (1:24-26); He had healed Peter's mother-in-law and "many who were sick with all kinds of diseases and drove out many demons" (vv.29-34); among others. Those they could accept, but to command the winds and the waves? That was something quite different. But as with Jesus' other miracles, they had a front row seat to this one! He had in fact commanded the winds, He spoke to the waves, and they obeyed Him! As The Message paraphrased their reaction, "They were in absolute awe, staggered" (v.41).

Before we rush in to chide them for doubting, how much different are we? We acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, one who is able to do miracles, yet in the middle of our own storms, do we remain calm or do we become perplexed? Is it that despite what we profess with our lips, in the challenging moments of our lives we believe there are some things that are too big, even for God? In the person of Jesus Christ, the very image of God, we have one with whom all things are possible. He is everything the believer will ever need for every situation we will ever find ourselves in. John reminds us "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (1:3, KJV). If He made it, He has dominion over it; always have and always will. The child of God can rest assured that there's absolutely nothing that is outside of His control. Why not allow Him to speak to your situation?

Dealing With An Anxious Heart

Anxiety. Webster defines it as a "painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill"; "an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it." Does any of that sound familiar?

As global economies continue to struggle, and it seems we're greeted every day by news of more companies in trouble and people losing jobs, it is in these environments that anxiety becomes even more acute. These are challenging times for many, and there are real fears and concerns that provoke thoughts and worry minds. The Christian is not immune from these events, fears, and concerns. If we're not careful, we could easily find ourselves overwhelmed by our individual circumstances, and instead of keeping our eyes on the God of our salvation, we focus instead on the "contrary winds" howling around us. To avoid such a situation, we hear the Psalmist cry out, "Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer ... when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me]. For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me" (61:1,2b,3a, Amplified). When faced with life's storms, a shelter and a refuge are exactly what we need. The good news is that we can find them both, in God.

The disciples of Jesus faced their own anxious moments as He spoke to them about His departure (John 13:31-36). We find in His response words that should encourage the heart that is anxious over any circumstances. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me" (14:1). Things may not look too good, but let not your heart be troubled. Bad news every where, but let not your heart be troubled. The pattern is obvious. God is not limited by what the global economies are doing. He knows how to take care of His own, and "Those who trust in, lean on, and confidently hope in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides and stands fast forever" (Psalm 125:1, Amplified). Now is as good a time as any to cast those cares and fears upon Him. Why not give it a try?

I Thank God For You

I have been blessed to have people in my life, past and present, who in their own unique ways have added, and continue to add, measures of richness to my life that have blessed me tremendously. When I think of these people, I think of them in ways that often make me smile, and at times, with mixed emotions. Some of the lessons learnt over the years have been invaluable, and in the hustle and bustle of everyday living, they have served me well in many different ways.

These thoughts came to mind as I reflected on a couple of Paul's salutations to his friends. To the Philippians he wrote, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy" (1:3, 4), and to Philemon, "I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers" (1:4). Friends that cross our paths through divine appointments are priceless. Whether for a reason, a season, or a life-time, these are the people who usually see us at our best and often times, at our worse. They are always thinking of us and even without always knowing what is going on at any given moment, they are often upholding us in prayer. Our greatest joy is their greatest delight, and when we are bruised and wounded by life's events, we can count on them to be there in our hours of need.

Someone once said, "A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love, and encourages you with hope." There is a lot of truth in that statement, and I believe this was some of what the Apostle experienced with those he addressed; prayed for, loved, and encouraged. Do you have proven friends like that? Today is as good a time as any to send them a note to say "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you ... making mention of thee always in my prayers." And while you're at it, make sure to really thank God for them.

Going For Gold!

Millions of people all over the world watched in awe as Jamaica's Usain Bolt ran the finals of the 100 and 200 meters sprint races, in world record times, at the recently concluded Beijing Olympics. Members of the media, and track and field experts, struggled to find superlatives to describe the outstanding performance of this athlete. Bolt attributed his success, in part, to hard work, training, and desire. He wanted to win both races, and he also wanted to, along with his country men, win the 4x100 meters relay, which they also did in world record time. The consensus is that it will be a very, very long time before we see another individual performance on the track that surpasses Bolt's. Three races, three gold medals, three world records.

Desire; the will to win. Just as they are important in the natural, so they are in the spiritual because the Christian is also involved in a race. Not before 91,000 screaming fans in an Olympic Stadium, or with millions of people watching on global television, but before our own set of witnesses. In Hebrews 12:1 we read, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." In his first letter to the Corinthians, Message Translation, Paul exhorted, "You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally" (9:24-25).

Like Usain Bolt, it is the ultimate prize that we are after; the gold medal, the "Well done" accolade of our Heavenly Father. In our race, we are running against the forces of darkness that would seek to cut us off and cause us to stumble, but by God's grace, we have to have a strong desire to win. The athletes ran with the bare minimum; nothing to hold them back and they gave it everything they got. That is why Paul concluded, "I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself" (vv.26-27, The Message).

In the presence of your own crowd of witnesses, how are you doing in your race?

His Works Speak

One of the things I enjoy doing is walking, usually in parks or along trails. Not only is it good exercise if done consistently, but it's also a great way to empty the mind of mental clutter. One of the greatest benefit for me is the opportunity to meditate, to pray, and to feel the embrace of my Heavenly Father in the surroundings. Then there are the times when I'm simply enjoying the walk, and nature, and it is during those times that it become evident that the glory of God is everywhere to be seen.

I think the Psalmist David shared those experiences as he sat outdoors tending sheep. I believe that as he probably laid on his back, looking up into the skies, the words that became a part of Psalm 19 took form - "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language; Their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world" (vv.1-4a, KJV). It is as Matthew Henry posited, God "not only glorifies himself, but gratifies us, by this constant revolution; for as the light of the morning befriends the business of the day, so the shadows of the evening befriend the repose of the night; every day and every night speak the goodness of God, and, when they have finished their testimony, leave it to the next day, to the next night, to stay the same."

Day after day, night after night, a constant revolution. The Message paraphrase reads, "Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening", no words are spoken, no voices are recorded, "but their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere." It is no wonder that when Carl Boberg, while on a two mile walk through a thunderstorm from a church meeting, considered the power of God on display in the universe, he later penned the words:

"Then sings my soul / My Saviour God, to Thee / How great Thou art!"

We couldn't miss the glory of God if we tried. God has made Himself known, and we who have found Him can testify that the "revelation of GOD is whole and pulls our lives together" (v.7a). For those still waiting to find Him, there really is no excuse. How great He is indeed.