Daily Devotional

October 11th, 2023
by Pastor Gene Beck

Trusting God in the Storms of Life…

Luke 8:22–25 - “Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” (NKJV)

This past July, I had the privilege of traveling with Pastor Jim and Karon to Israel. It was my first time to see and experience the Holy Land. The time we spent at the Sea of Galilee impacted my life. To see the places where Jesus spent much of His time in His earthly ministry gave me new insights into His life and the life of His disciples. There He fed the thousands, healed the sick, taught the crowds, and trained His disciples. As the disciples walked with Jesus through His earthly ministry, they learned who He was and how important He was to their daily lives. As I stood in the places where Jesus and His disciples stood, I realized that the disciples were in many ways just like me. Men struggling to trust the Lord as they faced the problems of life. Jesus gave them opportunities to trust in His strength or in their own human effort.

On one occasion, Jesus got into a boat with His disciples, and He told them to go to the other side. The disciples were doing the will of the Lord. They were in the boat crossing the Sea of Galilee just as He had instructed them. A storm arose that was so severe, that it threatened to sink their boat. The disciples were afraid and in human effort tried to save themselves. When they were exhausted, they sought help from the Lord. The Lord was asleep in the boat. The disciples woke the Lord and asked him, “Do you not care that we are perishing, ‘Save us!’” They were asking for material, temporal deliverance from danger. They felt that the Lord was not concerned about them and the problems they were facing. The Lord arose and rebuked the wind and the waves. The wind immediately died down and the sea was calm.

Practical insights from the disciple’s experience…

They had the Lord’s promise…“Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.”
They had the Lord with them…He was asleep in the boat.
They could see the example of Jesus…He was completely at peace with the circumstances.

Their reaction was common to ours…

The problem seemed overwhelming…the waves were high and the boat was filling with water.
Even though the Lord was there…they asked for His help only when they had exhausted all their efforts.

Life daily gives us opportunities to either trust the Lord or our own abilities. Often, we respond to the problems in life like the disciples. When I face the struggles of life I can hear the Lord asking me as He asked His disciples, “Where is your faith?” The Lord is always with me and I need to turn to Him in faith every moment of the day. What are you facing in your life today that you need to trust the Lord in and exhibit faith? What steps can you take to deepen your faith? How can you live out your faith in a practical way today?

Prayer: Lord, often the storms of life seem overwhelming. In those times I need to focus on You and not on the wind and waves. I need to see You as the One Who can calm my storms. Help me to deepen my faith and trust You more each day. Amen

EMAIL MICHAEL BERGMAN

Posted in Daily Devotionals
Posted in Pastor Gene Beck