Revival in the Storm

The waves are crashing over the little rowboat.  It is being tossed by each wave that hits it.  The wood cracks under the strain of the abuse. Storm clouds have covered the sky and darkened out the moon. Torrential rain is falling, and the wind is howling.

You are the only person in the rowboat, holding tightly to the sides of the boat so you will not be flung into the sea.  Getting drenched by the cold seawater, you don’t know how long the boat will be able to stay afloat.

Trying to scan the boat for a life jacket, but the pelting rain blurs your visions. The waves are getting bigger, and the wind is blowing fiercer.  The wind and the torrential rain muffle your screams for help.  It is a place of total helplessness.  

Every time lightning lights up the sky, you scan the horizon for any sign, for hope.  Yet, all you can see is the storm.  There is nothing out there but rough seas.  With each passing moment, helplessness overwhelms.

It is only a matter of time before the boat capsizes or breaks in two, not knowing what you will do if that happens. The one thing that you do know, if you don’t find safety quickly, you are going to drown. 

A large wave crashes over the bow the boat, and the little boat is flipped and splinters into the sea. Flying into the ice-cold water, and flailing your arms trying to stay above water.  It is now a matter of moments. If you don’t drown, you will freeze to death.

“SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP ME! I don’t want to die alone,” crying out with the strength that you have left.

“Nobody is here for you. You are all alone,” A voice says in the dark.

Sinking under the wave and coming back up again, it won’t be long now. You have no more strength to fight.  The sea is going to claim you.  You don’t want to die, but you don’t see any solutions.

Then, for a moment, you think that you see a little light.  A hopeful, last-ditch mirage?  However, the light is there, and it is brighter now.  You are too far from land for it be a lighthouse. The light is getting brighter, and it is coming right at you.  

There is hope. Someone has seen you, and you are not alone.  They need to get to you post haste.  You are so tired of kicking and fighting for life. Knowing that someone is coming your direction, you muster up enough strength to flail her arms to get their attention. 

The light is now shining right on you. Someone has seen you and knows that you are in trouble. They are coming to help. One big wave crashes over you, once again pulling you under the water. You begin to sink into the depth of the sea.  The force pushing you down is more powerful than the energy that you have left to propel you to the surface.

As you are about to be claimed to the sea, you feel fingers wrap around your wrist. The grip is tight, and you feel the strength as they are pulling you closer to the surface.   A sense of relief fills you. 

You know that you are being saved from the depths.  There is a strong tug and you figure that you are almost at the surface.  Your lungs are burning for air.  Yet there will be air to breathe.  Just a few more inches. Reaching the surface, you inhale all the oxygen you can, and then …sit up in bed. 

The sheets on your bed are all in disarray.  You are still trying to catch your breath. You are drenched with sweat, but… you are safe in your bedroom at home. The storm is only in your dreams. 

“When you’re in over your head, I’ll be with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.” Isaiah 43:2 (MSG)

Yes, it was only a dream, but how many of us are sinking in the storms of life? For many of us, this is a real thing. The storms of life have capsized us.  We feel that the force pushing us down is stronger than our own strength.

We have all been there.  Even when we are walking with Christ, the storms of life will arise and capsize us.  Think about the disciples.    They physically walked with Christ every day for two years.  Yet, they endured the storms of life, and sometimes started to sink.

Jesus said to them. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be Afraid.” Matthew 14:27 (NIV)

Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

Got to love Peter.  He was seemingly fearless in certain areas.  Matthew 14:22-37 tells the story of the disciples in the boat.  “Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves.” (Matthew 14:24 MSG) They were in the storms of life, literally.

Jesus appeared to them.  Of course, that freaked them out.  Who wouldn’t be freaked out by someone walking on water towards them?  I know I would.

He says, “Calm down, it is me.”  Then good ole Peter says, “Lord, if it really is you, call me to come to you on the water.” Jesus answers, “Come on.”

Can you picture it?  Peter jumps out of the boat onto the top of the water.  The waves are still hitting the boat, and the wind is still whipping, but Peter just sees Jesus.  He is unaware, and all He sees is Jesus.

I can picture him sauntering towards Jesus, then realizes that there is a storm all around him. The wind and the waves are his focus now. He has lost focus of Jesus.

He is so caught up in the waves at his feet, and the wind around him.  That is when he starts to sink, and all he sees is the storm, and the water that is claiming him.  As he is sinking, he turns his focus back to Jesus.  “HELP ME!” he says.

In the Message, Matthew 14: 31, it states that Jesus didn’t hesitate.  “He reached down and grabbed his hand.  Then he said, ‘Faint heart, what got into you?”  Can you see the picture?

First off, Jesus didn’t hesitate.  He saved Peter first.  Then He said to Peter, “What happened, and why didn’t you have faith in me?”  Nowhere does Jesus say, “well, this is what you get for not keeping your eyes on me.”

    Living free in Christ, and having the revival in us, does not mean that storms of life won’t come.   It does mean that, with Christ, we know that any storms that come in our life have no power against Christ. It means that the force of Christ is stronger than the force of the storm that wants to sink us.

    How much freedom does that provide to you and me?  Yes, storms will come, life will happen, but we are saved in Christ.  That is amazing news to us that can only see the storm.

Again, Lord, do it again.  Let the revival begin again, and let it begin in me.

Poppa God,

    We know that there will be storms of life.  There are things that will drag us down into the dark waters. Sometimes it feels that the force of the dark is greater than our own strength.  When we lose focus of You and start to sink in that darkness, I thank You for not hesitating and for grabbing our hand.  You pull us up. You don’t stand there and tell us, “I told you so.”  You save us, and then You remind us that You have got us.

Thank you for the freedom in You. Thank you for Your saving grace.  I praise You that You continue to remind us that You will never leave or forsake us.

You are mightier than anything that the devil can throw at us.  The devil has ZERO authority over us, because of YOU. YOU ARE GOD.  You are our Rock, our Savior, our Deliver, and our Redeemer.   

 Though the storms may come, we know that You have us in Your grasp, and you won’t let us drown in the storms of life.

Thank you for the revival that You want to start in each of our lives.  Continue to knock on the doors of our hearts.     I pray, “do it again, Lord, do it again, and let it start with me.”

In Jesus Name AMEN!

Laura Maxson