Category: Friendship

Self-Absorbed in the Storm

~ everydaycrossliving ~ Leave a comment

 

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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?
Mark 4:36-51

The disciples are on the boat with Jesus, but they still find themselves in a storm. Can you relate? Have you ever been walking with Jesus; doing the right thing; going to church; treating others well; and still find yourself in a storm?

While they were in the midst of this mighty storm with raging waves and fierce winds, they do what most of us would do, they awake Jesus. Jesus calms the storm, but He also admonishes them because of their lack of faith. The storm was so great, that the Bible details their boat becoming full with water due to the waves that beat into the ship. Yet, Jesus rebukes them!

Was Jesus being harsh? Maybe harsh, like a committed coach, pushing his players to their greatest potential. Harsh, as a loving parenting, refusing to allow an “A” student settle for a “B.” Jesus was pushing the disciples into greater faith. He does the same with us. Jesus knows our capabilities and He wants us to reach our full potential in Him! God is pushing us to greater faith, because others are looking to us. We should stand out as a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9), who have faith in God, even in our biggest storms.

This same story is found in Matthew 8:23-27 and Luke 8:22-25, but it is in Mark’s rendition that mentions, the “other little ships.” When the disciples find themselves in this mighty storm, there were other “little ships” on the sea with them, as well. If their ship was struggling, can you imagine what was happening to the other little ships? The disciples were so self-absorbed in the storm, they gave no thought to the other little ships. When we are self-absorbed in our storm, we forget about others. Others who may be observing how we handle the storm. Others who may also be in a storm.

When we are self-absorbed in the storm, we will find ourselves having a pity party. Full of complaints, crying out, “Lord, why me!” While God could be saying, “O’ Ye of little faith.” We cannot be so self-absorbed in our storm that we forget about the other little ships. The other little ships, in our lives, could be our children, a new convert, or a struggling friend.

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When Jesus speaks to the wind and waves; the other little ships were blessed as well. Jesus didn’t just stop the storm in the disciples’ boat, He stopped the storm on the entire sea! Stand firm in your faith, so the other little ships around you will be blessed by your faith in Christ!

Some little ship, might be looking to see how you handle your storm. Don’t become self-absorbed in the storm. Instead, even in the storm, bear your cross with faith in God. Allow the one who controls the wind and the waves to keep you, in the storm.

Good Friends…Great Blessings

~ everydaycrossliving ~ Leave a comment

Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
Mark 2:2-12 New Living Translation

Good Friends…Great Blessings

Where would he have been without his four friends? Destined for life on a mat? A life of paralysis? A life without encountering Jesus! Mark 2:1-12, details the story of a paralyzed man and the efforts of his friends, to get him to Jesus. At the end of the story, the paralyzed man receives great blessings of healing and forgiveness. Wow! How awesome it is to have good friends. Proverbs 27:9 declares, “The sweet smell of incense can make you feel good, but true friendship is better still,”(Contemporary English Version). Good Friends…Great Blessings!

The friends of the paralyzed took great efforts to get him to Jesus. Through the process, they were willing to:

• Bear his burdens – When we first see the man in Mark 2, he is being carried on a bed, by his four friends. His friends were willing to bear his burdens. They were willing to carry him when he could not carry himself. Paul instructs us in Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” There are times, we encounter friends, who may be paralyzed physically, financially, emotionally, or even spiritually, and we should prayerfully help them bear their burdens. A burden shared is truly lighter! So let us be like these four friends, as we carry our cross daily, let us seek opportunities to bear the burdens of others!

• Overcome present obstacles – Not only, were the four friends, willing to bear the burdens of their paralytic friend. They were willing to overcome present obstacles. When they approached the house that Jesus was teaching in, it was packed. There was no possible way, they could make their way through the door, of the house. How were they going to get their friend to Jesus, with such obstacles in their way? They could have just figured, “Oh well, we’ve tried.” They could have assumed the man’s plot in life was to be confined to a bed. They could have just gave up. However, they were not intimidated by obstacles. Obstacles were only a inconvenience, not a showstopper. A crowded house, wasn’t enough to stop them, from getting their paralytic friend to the miracle worker!
They were willing to overcome any present obstacles. They were willing to go to extremes. They were willing to be unconventional. They were willing to be radical. They literally tore a hole in the roof of the house, to give their friend access to Jesus! Could you be that bold for a friend in need? As we carry our cross daily, let us not be hindered by obstacles. Let us be bold and overcome present obstacles to help one another!

• Place him in the presence – Not only, were the four friends, willing to overcome present obstacles to help their friend. They didn’t just tear a hole in the roof. They lowered their friend through the roof, and placed him in the presence of Jesus. Good friends will place you in the presence of Jesus. When the paralytic couldn’t make his way to Jesus, he had good friends who placed him in the presence of Jesus. Once he was in the presence of Jesus, Jesus did the rest! Jesus forgave his sins and healed the man of his paralysis. The man was no longer bound to a bed or bound to sin! His good friends were instrumental in him receiving great blessings!

You may have family and/or friends paralyzed by sin, who can’t make their way to Jesus, but you can place them in His presence. You can place them in the presence of Jesus, by faithfully praying for their life and salvation. As we carry our cross daily, let us remember those who are struggling to make it to Jesus. Let’s put them in the presence of Jesus through daily prayer! Once they are in His presence, He is more than capable of doing the rest. Just as healed and forgave the paralyzed man; he can heal, forgive, and deliver those paralyzed by a world of sin.

Today, God may be calling you to carry your cross by being a good friend to someone in need of some great blessings. On the contrary, you may be the one in need of a good friend, and I’m so glad that Jesus is willing to call us friends (John 15:15). Jesus, is without a doubt, a mighty good friend and his friendship is full of great blessings!