Who ever thought we’d be in the situation our nation and country is currently is facing? A pandemic that is threatens our ‘normal’ day to day existence. Panic is everywhere and fear is running rampant.
We were told just yesterday, that the first confirmed case of Covid-19 has made its way into our little town here in Crescent City. People are worried and afraid for their loved ones…the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and especially those still working as essential workers out in the marketplace.
So the question is, where do we turn when things are beyond our control? I have found that in life, there are certain things that we can control, but so many more things that are beyond our control.
I think of a story in the bible found in where the disciples were in a boat with Jesus and suddenly at furious storm arose and the waves swept up over the boat. Meanwhile Jesus was sleeping and his disciples were frightened. The bible says, “The disciples went to him and woke him saying “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Jesus replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, at it was completely calm. The disciples I’m sure in shock and amazement said, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him.”
The storm we currently face is called Covid-19. It may feel frightening as were looking at the waves of fear splashing in and around us, but this storm is no different. When things are beyond our control, we must call out to the only one who can save us and bring peace to our troubled hearts and minds. Peace is found in a person, and his name is Jesus (Isaiah 9:6b).
We cannot live in fear and faith at the same time. We all experience fear from time to time, but just as the disciples did, they called out to Jesus, and he immediately stopped the wind and the waves. God can do the same for us today. He is still the same God and he has the power to calm the chaos in our troubled hearts and minds.
We are told in Philippians 4:6-7…Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything, Tell God what you need, and thank him for all hes done. God is commanding us not to worry, like I said we will all feel worry from time to time, but we don’t have to live there. As we read in this verse, God’s solution to worry is prayer.
God wants us to call out to him in prayer, he hears and he answers. We can then thank him in faith for what he is going to do and then leave our troubles and fears there at the feet of Jesus. And the second part of this verse says, “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand, His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus alone is our peace in the storms of life. He alone can take our troubling circumstances and cause peace admist them. God never promised us that this would be a trouble free life, on the contrary, he told us in the world we will have trouble, but that we could take heart because he has overcome this world (John 16:33).
Jesus overcame sin and death with his victory over Satan on the cross. He did this out of his amazing love for us. When we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, he is with us in our boat. He alone can bring the howling winds and storming seas inside us to a complete halt, because he alone is God and nothing is impossible for him (Luke 1:37). He is our peace in troubled times!
If you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus, the Prince of Peace, I believe he is calling you to do so today. We are all sinners and in need of Gods saving grace. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross. We can never earn or salvation or be good enough. If that was the case then we wouldn’t need Jesus. Salvation is God’s free gift to us. The bible says, For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved (Romans 10:10). Call out to God today, he is ready and willing to save us and meet us in our time of need.