The Storm

As families we go through many storms. A family is meant to help you, to hold you up. To give you encouragement. I don't just mean blood relatives either. A family is anyone who sticks by you through a storm, and comes out with you on the other side still holding your hand.

Do you have someone, or many someone's like this?

The disciples went through a few storms with Jesus. One in particular has really stuck out at me for the past month or so. It's a familiar story, you may have even memorized it but something really stuck out at me as I was reading it for maybe the millionth time. Do you know Peter was the only disciple to walk on the water? Can you imagine the faith it must have taken him just to get out of the boat?

"So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted."

In an instant that faith was gone though. Why? Because he looked up...but it wasn't the lightening or the thunder that scared him...it was the wind. Granted I'm sure on the ocean the wind can be crazy strong but the wind scared him. The waves, that he stepped out on to in the first place...scared him.

The wind and waves.

My family and I are going through a storm right now. Not nearly the size of the one Peter encountered I'm sure but nonetheless, my husband is laid off again. It's been a month, probably a little more than a month. He really enjoyed this job too. The man was a Christian, a Pastor and my husband was just beside himself with happiness that the man actually prayed before they ate and talked about God while he worked. Why all of a sudden did work stop...I ask myself this question over and over and over again a million times a day...why...but it didn't all of a sudden stop, it was pretty gradual. He's been off for about 6 weeks and just last weekend did the man use the term "laid off" until my husband had heard that term he was really dragging his feet on trying to find something else..fighting me tooth and nail but I could see it, see the time coming when the man would decide he was done with my husband and finally cut the string to the job.

I can relate to Peter. Can you?

I see the wind, the bills that keep coming in begging for payment before the end of the month. Unemployment still hasn't come in.

I see the waves, rent demanding payment in a week and money enough in the savings account for one more payment and still no replacement job in sight.

I take my eyes off Jesus for one second and all of a sudden I start to sink. Peter cried out, but before I know it I want to hide, sinking lower and lower, we must have done something wrong, Jesus must be angry with us..lower and lower...stress and tension take over and I start yelling at the kids more, all that hard work Jesus put into me gone in a second...lower and lower...until my head is under water and still my mouth seeled shut...Jesus won't help us, He's angry and and I haven't done anything right since this storm started...but all of a sudden a friend...a sister reaches out her hand and pulls me out just enough to yell over the wind and the waves, CRY OUT!

You see, family are the people around us...willing to pull us out if only just to free our mouth and remind us to cry out...don't turn away just turn to Jesus...cry out.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

Jesus immediatley reached out to Peter, He didn't reprimand Peter for his lack of faith, He didn't gripe and yell at him for everything Peter did wrong...no...He IMMEDIATLEY reached out to save Peter.

Today I want to be your family. Your sister, your friend and if you're hurting I want to take your hand, lift you just above the water and remind you to cry out. Cry out sister and Jesus won't yell at you...He will immediatley take your hand and lift you above your storm and give you hope. He did it for me, He will do it for you. We are His.

If you would like to read this story, it is found in Matthew chapter 14.

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10