Corona Devo 1503

 A 20-something year-old friend of mine lost her dad earlier this year.  I've seen the tears well-up when we talk sometimes, and the holidays were (understandably) really hard for her.  But when she told me that her father-in-law committed suicide a couple weeks ago...well, what do you say to someone facing a horribly familiar wave of shock and sorrow that knocks the wind out of them?

Has the loss of loved ones struck close to home and heart for us, too?  The hollowness and depression of losing someone who is a piece of us is hard to describe and harder to survive.  

Who can help?

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One of my BFF's recently had her (cancer) doctor tell her to quit her job, spend her time with family, and update her living will, because (science says) her time is short.  

Have we had waves of medical trauma pummel us?  Have appointments (and scheduling them), and diagnoses, and hope...and then lack-of-it taken the wind right out of our sails?

Are we (with good reason) afraid?

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Finances are such a tricky balance.  There are always new squalls of expenditures coming in, from unexpected medical stuff, to travel expenses, and let's not forget about the day to day (high) cost of living (groceries/gas/food/necessities).  Things can get tight, and sometimes (too often), our budget does not make sense on paper...and we pray that God will balance the columns when bills come due.  When worries loom, they can push us into choppy faith-waters, wondering, "Will everything 'work out' "?

~~~

It's hard to trust (have faith) sometimes.  When worry and fear and reality slap us like violent storm waves--what choice do we have?

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That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” (36) Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. (37) A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (38) Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  

(39) He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  

(40) He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”  

(41) They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”  ~Mark 4:35-41

~~~

Are we being overwhelmed by a furious squall in our lives today?

Are the waves of life breaking over our boat?

Are we nearly swamped with the troubles of life today?

Jesus, our teacher does care, and He will not let us drown.

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“Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39).

Lord, quiet our worries today and still our fears.  Quiet the unknowns and still the "what-if's".  

Jesus is right here in the boat with us today.  He knows full-well what we face and what we fear.  And He is waiting for us to have faith.

 “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”   (Mark 4:40).

~~~

It's hard to trust (have faith) sometimes.  

Worries and fears slap us like violent storm waves, and what choice do we have?

We can make the choice to have faith in Jesus and in His control over our lives, our waves, and even the furious squalls that some of us are enduring today.

It's no mistake or coincidence that these verses splash across our hearts today and right now.

We might (sometimes) think that Jesus is asleep at the helm, but he is fully aware of our struggles today.

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  

(40) He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”  

(41) They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”  ~Mark 4:39-41

~~~

Who is this?  

That even the wind and the waves obey?  

This is Jesus.  

Remember that Jesus calms the wind and the waves in our life today.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com