another day in paradise

Luke 8:22–25 (TPT)

“One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s get in a boat and go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail, and soon Jesus fell asleep. But a fierce wind arose and became a violent squall that threatened to swamp their boat. Alarmed, the disciples woke Jesus up and said, “Master, Master, we’re sinking! Don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

With great authority Jesus rebuked the howling wind and surging waves, and instantly they became calm. Then Jesus said to them, “Why are you fearful? Have you lost your faith in me?”

Shocked, they said with amazement to one another, “Who is this man who has authority over winds and waves that they obey him?”

Beloved,

The word Peter used for storm was, “seismos,” and in the greek translation means “earthquake.” Can you imagine the description of this storm, an earthquake on the seas. This was such a powerful storm, yet Jesus slept peacefully in the back of the boat. The waves must have been gigantic and the little boat was tossed harshly upon its seas.

I am reminded of a book written a few years ago, “The Perfect Storm” which they made a movie out of. This was the case of three storms merging as one just off the east coast of America. The story was about the crew that sailed on the Andrea Gail, a sizable fishing boat, that has probably weathered other storms. The crew and the ship was lost and only small remnants were found. Is it possible that what we have struggled with in the past year has been what some would call a “perfect storm?” My focus today is on America and how we have weathered the perfect storm.

Questions come fast and furious. But the answers are not in the elements making up the storm that hit America’s shores early last year, but our response in the midst of it. We have not experienced such a trauma to our lives as a group in such a long time. There are past events, like the Spanish Flu, or the Measles Outbreak, and others like Small Pox Epidemics that created similar environments. I don’t discount the wars we have been involved with or the violent demonstrations across our nations from one group or another either.

Really, how did we respond? When the government said to close our churches, some did and some did not. When the government said to close your states, some did and some didn’t. When the government said to quarantine, some did and some didn’t. The ultimate question though, is how many of us maintained the peace that Jesus speaks of and the faith needed to rest in the midst of any storm, regardless of size or origin? And what does that peace look like? News programs from various agencies were watched sometimes nonstop, and others simply turned the TV off. The storm, really did turn people against each other, when unity was desperately needed, regardless of who was in control of our country.

The storm that came in to our country, really was a “seismo” with waves that swept across our country from the east to the west, and from south to the north.

Notice that just because Jesus was with the disciples, does not cause a storm to turn away, but by the time the storm hit, the disciples were fully engaged in it. Then as a last desperation, they woke the master who was sleeping on a pillow in the aft part of the fishing boat. It really is not about the storm, but how we react, what we do, and sometimes what we don’t do in the midst of it. Our authority is not used to avoid storms, but to stand at peace in the middle of it, in Jesus, and learn from it.

Now in the aftermath, waves still have not ceased their destruction just yet, I walk into a coffee shop and the barrister that serves me, says to me, “It is another day in paradise.” I said to her, “You are a lot like Jesus.” And when she asked why, I said, “Because in the midst of a storm, you would be asleep in the back of the boat.” She smiled really big and accepted the encouragement, and I shared some other things, and left one of the disciples running her little coffee shop a little bit more sure of herself and who she is.

How do I know she smiled really big, well I’ll leave that up to you.

Whatever your response has been to this perfect storm, be advised, it is another day in paradise, not because of what you see with your eyes, but what you know in your heart.

Tonight, be at peace, sleep well and wake refreshed to another day in paradise. Your identity is to bring heaven to earth, it’s in the prayer He taught us. It is not a metaphor, but truth living in bodily form.

And for those that have lost loved ones in this battle, peace and comfort to you as well. Know that you will see them again, and they will have some grand stories to tell you, of being asleep in the back of the boat with Jesus.

It is another day in paradise.