Text: “Then (in spite of
all fear) they willingly received Him (Christ) into the ship; and immediately
the ship was at the land whither they went.”
John 6:21.
Good morning, fearful Christian! Sunday school children here in Northern Ireland , UK ,
are taught a simple little chorus, but one which has profound implications for
every Christian’s life. If we can sing it, and mean it - it will turn
our darkest daily fears into utter fearlessness. They sing the following:
“With Christ in the
vessel, we can smile at the storm…smile at the storm…smile at the storm.
With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm…as we go sailing Home…”
In today’s Bible reading we find Christ’s disciples, some of them very experienced fishermen,
crossing the Sea of Tiberius
(or Sea of Galilee, or Sea
of Chinnereth
The Holy Spirit speaking
through the Apostle John informs us that, as the disciples sailed up the coast
towards Capernaum in the ship - ’…it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind
that blew.’ (Vs. 17-18)
Are you, even as you read this
weekly Bible Lesson, seemingly left in the dark concerning some grave situation
that seems impossible to overcome? Are
you, like Christ’s original disciples in our
reading, beginning to feel abandoned, left without hope, and sore afraid?
Well, take heart if this
describes your circumstances, dear brother.
Lift up your spirits and be encouraged if this be your situation,
beloved sister. The Lord Jesus says unto
you personally, “It is I, be not
afraid.” (V.20)
Let me encourage you to use
your ’sanctified imagination’, dear believer.
Make this passage of Holy Scripture really come alive for your personal
needs. Pray to God, and think this
Scriptural scene through for yourself.
Here we have a group of Christ’s closest followers, tired from serving the Living
Lord Jesus, having just been engaged in miraculously feeding five thousand plus
hungry people. They are now cramped into
a small ship sailing across a very large lake - the Sea of
Galilee . Christ Jesus is not with them in the ship - they are left
feeling very much ’in the dark‘.
With the wind raising, and the
waves splashing into the small ship, these tired disciples are also probably
wet, and getting cold. They are becoming
somewhat disorientated - the small ship beginning to plunge down into the trough
of each wave, then, thrust up and over the crest of the next one - the less
sea-worthy of them could also have been feeling somewhat sea-sick!
Despair thrives and heightens
when one is mentally and physically weary; when illness, or disease, or
anxieties, or burdens of all aspects of life suddenly threaten to pull us
down into a vortex of Spiritual depression and discouragement. This then, was some of what the disciples
were experiencing at this given time, and it could well be your present experience
- ‘…and they were afraid.’ (V.19)
However, look what happened
when once they heard the Master’s Heavenly
voice! Look at the change that came over
them in such a short time! This same
Living Lord Jesus speaks to YOUR heart and soul right now: “It is I; be not afraid.’
“…I will NEVER leave
thee, nor forsake thee…the Lord is my
helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (Hebrews
13:5-6)
“Then they willingly
received Him into the ship; and IMMEDIATELY the ship was at the land whither
they went.” (V.21)
Let me hear it, beloved
Christian: “With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm…smile at the storm…smile at the
storm. With Christ in the vessel we can
smile at the storm…as we go sailing
Home…” Hallelujah!
“No weapon that is
formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against
thee in judgement thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their
righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17)
Do YOU really believe God’s Word, my friend?
Do you actually have the faith to fully trust King Jesus and take Him at
His Word? If so, then you and I will go
through all the promised persecutions, illnesses, enemies, and fearful
situations. But THROUGH them we shall
surely go! Praise the Lord!
Ultimate Victory over all
things was fully achieved for us at that place called Calvary . Listen for the still small Voice of your Lord…smile at that storm.
Thought: “I will not leave
you comfortless; I (Jesus) will come to you.”
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