“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
(Isaiah 55:11 NIV)
I was treated to such a beautiful insight this morning, that I just had to share!
For as long as I could remember, I have heard sermons about the power of Jesus, that He can simply change the way of things through a spoken word.
One of the examples is on the boat with His disciples in a big storm. In Luke chapter 8, Jesus says to the Disciples… ”Lets go to the other side of the lake”. So they got on the boat, and set out…
I can just imagine Peter & Andrew and James & John (The sons of Thunder) floating on cloud9 in this moment… Fishermen, men of the see, their time to shine… If it was a movie, they would have a soundtrack playing!
But halfway there, Jesus has fallen asleep and a massive storm, a squall hits them and they literally fear for their lives. No Captain Ahab moments, they were getting smashed and swamped and to their credit, went to the source: Jesus.
“The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.”
(Luke 8:24 NIV)
Jesus spoke, and the storm subsided. Jesus simply said the word.
Jesus intervened… because of the lack of Faith of His disciples.
BUT
The fact of the matter is that I don’t think they would have perished in the storm.
Because the Word of God has power. Can I be so bold as to insinuate that it creates the future as it is spoken?
When Jesus spoke, the storm subsided and the path forward, the future was “created” … but think about it. If that is true then it must be true for the previous instruction Jesus gave as well:
”Let us go over to the other side of the lake”
(Luke 8:22 NIV)
Do you see it?!
Jesus spoke their future. That is where they would have ended up, regardless, and that is why He asked in v25 “Where is your Faith?”
(Ok… to be fair, they may have ended up on the other side with a broken mast, missing oars, and completely drenched… probably… but they would have ended up in the right place!)
You & I were created with purpose. We have a general and specific calling on our lives… the other side of the lake, if you will. The storms and the leaky boat. The lightning and thunder and wind… it’s not punishment, and it’s not a test of our resolve… if anything it teaches us new skills of perseverance, of staying the course, of pushing through. Building our Trust and Faith… and maybe also the best way to get water out of the boat in a quick and effective way!
Broken cars, stolen equipment, burnt down buildings… this is wind and water, thunder and lightning, but know as you know as you know… this is not the end, because we are not at the other side of the lake yet.
The other side of the lake, where the real work begins! The other side of the lake, where God first said we are to head to.
We may not end up where we are supposed to go with a shiny new outfit, slicked back hair and our neatest power tie. Rather a little bit crumpled and rumpled with a tear and a ding and a scuff or two… but with great stories to tell!
Stand on your Faith, look past the storm and see the shoreline!
Be blessed and be a blessing for those around you, as God intended!
