A beautiful day at the Lake
It is a beautiful summer afternoon. The sun is shinning, the birds are signing. the flowers are blooming, surely it is a blessing to witness this breathtaking scenery.
Your long time friend came to visit for the weekend, and before her departure you both decided to go on a little canoe expedition on the lake. You have so many things to catch up on, as per usual!
Off you went !
You marvel at the wonders God created. (I talk about it more in a previous post “Spending Meaningful Time With God In Nature” . Take the time to read this one too!). The puffy white clouds in the bright blue sky, the sun bouncing off the crystal clear water, the small fish near the surface, the sound of the water. All of these components, make this experience extremely peaceful and refreshing.
It’s been over three hours since you’ve left the shore, time flew by so fast. You girls talked about everything… isn’t it what we all do ? Spiritual life, personal status, goals and more. The sun is about to set and it is now time to row back towards shore.
Sudden change of plans
Suddenly, you can feel a slight shift in the weather. The sun slowly starts to hide and the clouds are making themselves more present. The pure white clouds from earlier, are now becoming darker and darker. You definitely know what this means… You try rowing as fast as possible. Your friend tells you she felt rain drops on her forehead, yes, you felt them too… In the midst of the chaos, you pray, “Dear God, let us make it back safely!”.
Uh oh! Rain drops now turn into pouring rain..and not too long after, you hear thunders… How can a beautiful sunny and peaceful day, turn into…this, an unexpected storm. Clearly, the weather channel presenter did not see this one coming, or else you would have been back much much earlier and would not have gone this far…
And here we go, the beginning of a stormy weather. Thunder, heavy rain, strong wind, all of this is happening while you are on a small boat, on the lake, desperatly trying to make it back home. “How are we going to make it ?” you asked yourself. “Didn’t God hear me ?” Certainly, those are questions that we ask ourselves when in the midst of a life storm. But Jesus wants us to stay still and not focus on the events, but rather focus on Him. How easy to say, you may think, but so very true.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10
Jesus is in control
There are moments in life, when you feel like you are drowning under deep waters, crying for help, as if God is not hearing you. Or at times you feel like you’re hanging from a cliff by your fingertips and the Lord is not seeing you. Sister, the Lord assures us that those are just “feelings”, and that nothing could be further from the truth. He is ALWAYS present, He allows life storms to happen, but in the midst of all this, He is there, watching over us, taking care of us.
We must remain calm, pray without ceasing, rejoice by singing hymns, and be confident in His promises. The storm will not last always. Jesus is in control.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God" - Psalm 46:10
Suddenly, everything stopped. A true Miracle. God’s hand in action. Rays of sunshine pierced through the thick clouds as if nothing ever happened. Yes, God heard your plea, He granted your prayers, more than what you could have asked for. He was there all the time, you just needed to put your trust in Him. Yet again, Jesus is in control .
Sister, I invite you to read “Power of the tempest” from the “Lift Him Up” devotional, written by Ellen G. White. It will bring you great encouragement and comfort. Jesus says to you today, “Be still, my daughter”.