Deep Sea Trials

This morning, while meditating on Mark 4:35-41, I felt I should share what God was saying to me concerning trials and my response to them. No one gets through this life without them. Just for the last few days, I have been praying for some friends who now live in West Virginia, who are facing the biggest, most foreboding one that they have faced, up to this time...
 Brian, a young man, husband to Jennifer and  dad to Jason and Jackson, will begin a round of treatments on Monday for stage IV metastatic melanoma. I pray daily for Alicia's 3rd grade teacher who struggles everyday since the fall of 2008 when her 17 year old daughter, Megan, was killed in a car wreck. There are storms that shake us to the core while we travel here on earth. I've had few and light in comparison to these 2 and many other examples. When my sister, Darlene's first and only child didn't begin to progress as do other babies, our hearts broke that maybe our family would now experience what it is like to have a special needs child and now after 31 years, Kelly still must be tended to like a baby. In 1985, God took my Mother who was my best friend and my godly example Home to be with Him.Suddenly, while she and I grocery shopped, she suffered a massive heart attack and although I didn't sorrow as those who have no hope(1Thess. 4:13), I grieved greatly for awhile because the vacancy that she left seemed almost unbearable, at times. In 2005, about 2 months after our precious Landon was born, Amy called one day with an urgency in her voice and Grandanny and I left for their house where I confirmed what Amy suspected but did not want to believe. Our new baby boy was having seizures. I had seen Kelly have many and knew there was no mistake about it. They found themselves in ICU for 3 days where all manner of tests were run and left there with no diagnosis except he was normal in every way. Praise God for that and he's never had another one and has more "little boy" energy than the law allows! For 3 or 4 days, though, we were in a storm, one that Jeff called us about and I'll never forget the words he said the doctor used "potentially life-threatening."

Why do I tell you all of this as I preface this lesson. I know about storms, and as the disciples in the boat, we become afraid but there's an anecdote- it got me through mine, it has worked for those who had billows rise like I have never seen. It's working right now in the lives of Brian and Jennifer, who begin aggressive treatment tomorrow. You can read their words of faith at BOP Fights Melanoma. Here's a quote from Jennifer- "I know the week is going to be hard but I trust God has already prepared us for battle or He wouldn't be sending us in." Thank you for that, Jennifer, and that thought from you takes me to vs 35 in Mark 4. When the storms threaten and the clouds are getting darker by the minute, fellow believer, remember what Christ has said in His word. The disciples should have known they would arrive on the other side because Jesus already said to them-"Let us pass over unto the other side." He did not say" Let's go to the middle of the sea and perish."  Faith, my friend, is a vital principle to all of life, especially the "scary" times.  Charles Swindoll reminds us "Jesus slept on, resting in the cupped hand of His Father." I am so blessed and encouraged that our Heavenly Father wrings His hands about nothing. He doesn't bite His nails wondering what in the world He's going to do about this "mess" we are in! Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." It's imperative that we know what the Book says and that we know the God of the Book.

You say, how does that work, Deborah, the principle of Rom. 10:17? Simply, just this morning, as I studied how the disciples woke up Jesus and asked a silly question (one that we repeat ourselves, at times), "don't you care that we perish?", I marveled at the following verses as I pictured Jesus standing up, looking at a raging sea, waves billowing, water sloshing in the boat, and with a word, the storm didn't grind to a halt, but ceased immediately!!  Now, that dear friend, increases my faith. The hymn, This Is My Father's World (a favorite of my favorite aunt, my Momma's sister, murdered in 1972-never solved-another storm in my life), comes to my mind. It is His world- get a hymnal out today and read the words by Maltie D. Babcock- the last verse saying this-"This is my Father's world, o let me never forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father's world, the battle is not done. Jesus, Who died, shall be satisfied and earth and heaven  be one." HALLELUJAH!!   It's His world and one word from Him can stop the storm and also give peace in the midst of the storm. Warren Wiersbe wrote concerning the disciples  -" Their problem was not the storm around them but the unbelief within them."  That was exactly Jesus' question to them-"Why are ye so fearful? How is it  that ye have no faith?"  Their question was "What manner of Man is this, that even the winds and sea obey Him?" That's my Savior, that's Who He is!

Let me sum this up with a personal story that has spoken to me for years, in fact, I recently shared it with my precious granddaughter Alicia, for the first time as she was taste testing my sweet tea. (Parents and grandparents, share the Bible accounts of faith living and your own personal stories that will help build faith in  these precious, young lives.)      Many years ago, when our children were small, Danny went to Florida on a deep-sea fishing trip. Now, that is not my cup of tea. I don't want to look around and see nothing but water. Uh-oh, I am sounding fearful, aren't I? :)     He recounts that they were about 90 miles out in the ocean when they received an emergency radio call from the weather people telling them to turn around. An unexpected  storm, large storm, was about to happen and they must return to shore. Immediately, the boat was turned toward shore and he said the storm was nothing like he had ever seen or ever wants to see again. All the men were getting violently sick as the waves rocked that boat and the water was crashing against and into the boat. Although Danny didn't get sick, he was very very concerned and as they were all ordered to the bottom of the boat, he, as he has been known to do, went his own way and found himself at the helm with the captain. At once, the captain asked him what was he doing there and Danny said "I would just like to sit here awhile- I won't be a bother." When the captain learned that he wasn't sick, he allowed him to stay for awhile if he didn't bother him. "Only one question, Captain, ",  Danny said. His mind was on a wife and two small children back in Alpharetta, Georgia. He asked the navigator of that ship, the one responsible for getting him back to land "How bad is it?"  My husband said his reply brought a calm assurance to his heart although weather circumstances had not changed one bit.   "It's bad but I have seen worse!  We will get to land!"        

Dear one, it may be the worse you have seen- storms can be menacing- but our Captain has mastered them all.  Believe that today. He will bring us to our desired Haven. He promised- His promises have never failed!!!!      If you are troubled today, run and find your Captain in His Word. He will comfort your soul today!!       

Looking up, Deborah