“About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.”Mark 6:48 (NLT)
Have you ever had a storm blow your life off course?
In Mark 6, Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him to Bethsaida while he went off by himself to pray. It wasn’t a long trip by boat, but they were blown off course by a storm. When Jesus saw them struggling against the wind in the middle of the lake, he came to their aid.
Does your life feel like the disciples’ today?
Maybe you had no intention of being where you are in your job, your marriage, or your finances. You’ve been blown off course by situations you couldn’t control. You feel like you should be at your original destination by now, but at this point you’ve given up hope of getting there. You just want to get back to safety.
Or perhaps you had big dreams for your life that you gave up on a long time ago. You’re not even worried about progress anymore. You’re just wondering, “Can I survive?”
What does Jesus do when you’re at your moment of desperation? Mark 6:48 says, “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water” (NLT). Notice that he didn’t tell the disciples to come to him. He knew they couldn’t get to him. So he went to them instead. The same is true for you. When you’re at your point of desperation, Jesus comes to you!
I love the fact that Jesus did not stand on the shore and shout instructions. When you’re in a storm, you don’t need advice. You need a miracle! You need somebody to show up, and that’s what Jesus did. He intervened in the disciples’ storm.
This is the Gospel: God doesn’t stand on the shoreline telling you what to do; instead, he comes out and meets you in your own storm—in your pain, fear, depression, and discouragement. He comes to you. What a God!
You may feel abandoned right now, but you’re not. The Bible says in John 14:18, “I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm—I will come to you” (TLB). You can count on it!
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Your Gift Brings Hope to the World
Develop the Biblical Habits That Lead to Lasting Happiness!
Most people look for happiness in the wrong places. You won't find it through money, fame, or power.
You'll only find real, lasting happiness by following God's commands.
With The Habits of Happiness guided experience, you'll discover how happiness runs deeper than any circumstance, feeling, or relationship – because of God's unconditional love for you.
The Habits of Happiness guided experience is packed with devotionals, Scripture, and journal pages that will help you . . .
• Develop habits for healthier, happier relationships
• Unlock true happiness through humility
• Refuse to worry about anything
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of “current offer” materials you received from Daily Hope.