DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- OTHER LITTLE BOATS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – OTHER LITTLE BOATS

"Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' " (Mark 4:36-38)

Jesus and the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee after a day teaching. It had been a full day of ministry for Jesus, and this would be a chance for Him to catch up on needed sleep. Jesus was asleep when a storm arose and was about to drown them all. In their distress, the disciples woke Jesus, yelling above the roar of the storm, "Teacher, don't You care that we are perishing?"  Jesus got up, and with three simple words – "Peace, be still" – He calmed the storm.

The disciples were not the only ones in the middle of the storm. There were other little boats with them. There is no indication that the disciples cared anything about the other people. How often we are engulfed with the storms of life, and it seems that Jesus is sleeping. We are so concerned about ourselves that we forget about the other little boats around us. Our personal storms don't just affect us, but they affect others. But we are often like the disciples – all we can think about is ourselves.

The "other little boats" are worthy of our concern when we are going through storms. When Jesus said, "Peace," the storm subsided, and it ended for them also.

God, help me not to be so focused on my own storms that I forget those who are around me that are also being tossed about by the waves. Lord, please speak "Peace" – not just for me but for those who are also going through the storm with me.

Love, Dad