Friday, November 21, 2014

"Asleep On a Pillow"


(A repeat from 2010)

   Winds howled. Great waves crashed against the sides of the ship. Capsizing and death by drowning seemed imminent. Strong, hardy men feared and cried out for their lives. The Lord Jesus Christ slept on a pillow in the ship's stern.

    "And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship. And there were also with Him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish? And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (Mark 4:35-41).

     The Lord Jesus slept because He knew that no wind and no sea could have capsized a ship whose journey began with His word, "Let us pass over unto the other side." The storms of our lives belong to our Lord, as the Psalmist declared, "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalm 148:8). They cannot blow, they cannot bluster unless He gives them rein to do so. Sometimes they howl at us personally. Sometimes they threaten those whom we love. And sometimes the waves crash against nations and cultures. Whatever the case, we do well to remember our Lord "asleep on a pillow."

     Of course, God does not sleep in the sense of caring for us, or of His working all things after the counsel of His own will. "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4). It remains true, however, that the storms of our lives do not find the Lord Jesus with a furrowed brow, a rapidly beating heart, or hands wringing in frustration or desperation. No, in this sense, we do well to see Him sleeping like a baby, without a care in the world.

     We shall pass over to the other side. "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Our Savior is the author of our faith, and He is the finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He knows that which has been in our lives, that which is, and that which shall be. He knows that He is everything we will ever need Him to be. Most importantly, He knows His own heart, which is filled with a love for us that "passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3:19). In this most vital sense, no wind can capsize our ship. No wave can drown us. No storm can cause that we shall not pass over to the other side. The One who loves us more than life itself will see to that.
     
     See your Savior, "asleep on a pillow." As long as the One to whom we have entrusted both time and eternity is not overwrought or overwhelmed with care, all will be well. In this hour, all is well for the trusting sons and daughters of God in Christ regardless of the storms that threaten. Our Master has said, "Let us pass over to the other side." And so we shall.

"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him."
(Ecclesiastes 3:14)

Weekly Memory Verse
    My flesh and my heart faith, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.
(Psalm 73:26)


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