September 14
Face what He Faced
And other boats were with him. - Mark 4:36
Jesus was the Lord High Admiral of the sea that night, and His presence preserved the whole convoy. It is good to sail with Jesus, even though we may be in a little boat. When we sail in Christ's company, we cannot be sure of fine weather, for great storms may toss the vessel that carries the Lord Himself, and we should not expect to find the sea less boisterous around our little boat. If we go with Jesus we must be content to face what He faces; and when the waves are rough for Him, they will be rough for us. It is through tempest and storm that we will reach land, just as He did before us. When the storm swept over Galilee's dark lake, the faces wore anxious frowns, and all hearts dreaded shipwreck.
When every attempt to ride it out proved useless, the resting Savior rose and with a word transformed the billowing tempest into the deep quiet of a calm. Then all the other boats were at rest as well as the one that carried the Lord. Jesus is the star of the sea; and though there is sorrow on the sea, when Jesus is on it, there is also joy.
May our hearts make Jesus their anchor, their rudder, their lighthouse, their lifeboat, and their harbor. His Church is the Admiral's flagship; let us attend her exercises and cheer her officers with our presence. He Himself is the great attraction; let us always follow in His wake, observe His signals, steer by His chart, and never fear while He is within reach. Not one ship in the convoy shall be wrecked; the great Captain will steer every craft in safety to the desired haven. By faith we will raise our anchor for another day's cruise and sail with Jesus into a sea of tribulation. Winds and waves will not spare us, but they all obey Him; and therefore whatever squalls may occur on the outside, faith will enjoy a blessed calm within. He is always in the center of the weather-beaten company:
Let us rejoice in Him. His boat has reached the harbor, and so will ours.
Family Bible reading plan
verse 1 2 Samuel 10
verse 2 2 Corinthians 3
From the Resurrection to His Return: Living Faithfully in the Last Days
By D.A. Carson
Commonly, when the Bible speaks about the ‘last days’, it refers to the entire period between Christ’s first coming and His second. The idea is that the coming of Christ is so world transforming, now that the kingdom has already dawned, that the old world is petering out; it is coming to an end. So, according to Scripture, what are the characteristics of these ‘last days’ and how are we to view the world in light of this.
Author D.A. Carson and professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School helps us better understand the world around us in these terms and gives practical instruction for how we are to live our lives surrounding by a culture increasingly resistant to living within the sovereignty of God’s Will.
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From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.