Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: STORM (10/05/17)
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TITLE: Invitation to an unquiet quiet place | Previous Challenge Entry
By David Guion
10/09/17 -
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Jesus invited us into the wilderness for a quiet time together We had so much to process. The twelve of us had been out ministering without him. We saw, we performed all kinds of mighty miracles. While we were out, Herod executed John the Baptist. So I really wanted some time to ourselves. Next thing I knew, thousands of people showed up. If I were Jesus, I'd sure get upset with the constant interruptions. He can't do anything the way he plans it, but if it bothers him, he never lets on.
So we minister to the needs of that crowd all morning and afternoon. We suggested that Jesus send them home so they could eat, but he told us to give them some food. As many great things I saw when I was out with Thaddeus, we never even thought of anything like that. Did he think we were Moses? Someone found a little bit of food. Some bread, a few fish. I could have eaten it all by myself and more.
Jesus took it. He broke the bread and told us to distribute it. He was handing us food by the basketful, and we handed it out to, what, five thousand men, their wives, and children? All those people ate as much as they wanted, then we gathered the leftovers in the baskets. Each basket had more bread and fish than we started with! Where did so much food come from?
When they all left, I figured we'd finally get our quiet time with Jesus. But no. He told us to get in the boat and leave him by himself. Peter, John, and the other James tried to reason with him. They're experienced out at sea, and they saw a big storm coming up. Jesus takes those three with him when he doesn't take any of the rest of us, and he still made us get in the boat.
Well, they were right. God opened the windows of heaven and poured out wind and rain like I've never seen before. About half of us are fishermen. Usually they can handle anything on the water, but I've never seen grown men so terrified. If they can't keep the boat on top of the sea, what's a farmer like me supposed to do? Besides heave over the side of the boat till my stomach was empty? Well, Andrew handed me a bucket. At least I could help toss water out of the boat into the sea. Or try to.
Just when I was sure we'd all sink without a trace—and what would Jesus think about that?––Thomas pointed out something in the distance that wasn't water. And I thought I was frightened before!
But it was Jesus. Walking on the waves.
I tried my hardest to pay attention, but I didn't quite catch everything he said. Then Peter suddenly jumped out of the boat like the reckless fool he can be. Jesus calls that loudmouth a rock. Well, he sank like one, but I could swear he took a few steps toward Jesus first!
And then the two of them got in the boat. By that time, the wind was as gentle as a good day for threshing. We were in the middle of the sea one moment and in the harbor at Capernaum the next. Jesus said he had intended just to walk by. That was supposed to be enough to assure us we'd make it. And he said we didn't understand what we saw with the bread and fish.
What just happened? We didn't get our promised rest. Jesus didn't even seem disappointed. He just took it as one more chance to work a miracle. He forced us to get into a boat when he should have known we'd be in danger of drowning. But then he walked to us on water, and everything was all right.
There's a lesson in all that somewhere. Probably lots of them. I hope I can learn figure out what I should learn.
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