Do you ever feel frantic? Are there moments when the pace of life is so demanding that you are unsure whether you can "keep it together". The world has gone crazy. We live in a never ending news cycle that brings bad news. It is easy to fall prey and become absorbed in the daily crisis. News organizations thrive off the latest crisis. Fear is the greatest weapon that nations can wield. President Roosevelt said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". Between our jobs, marriages, children, parents and the multitude of other obligations we have, down time seems unrealistic.
Jesus encountered a woman of Samaria to draw water from Jacob's well. Jesus said to her, "give me drink". The woman found that an unusual request because Jesus was a Jew and Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. As the conversation unfolded, Jesus began to tell the woman her life story. Jesus knew of her ex husbands and that she was currently living with a man. The conversation turned "religious" and the woman brought up where different people worshiped. Jesus revealed Himself, as Messiah, and let the woman know that His Father was a Spirit and in the future true believers would worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
How God must be exasperated with us, His creation. We, being Christians, sometimes act with disrespect for God and His word. Sometimes, when watching us in our daily lives, it might be hard to differentiate us from the heathens. Paul, the Apostle, asked, "who will deliver me from this bondage"? When Paul wanted to do right, he would do wrong. If you fit this description, then take courage because you serve the God of second chances. God not only wants us to have eternal life with Him but to walk on this earth with Him.
Is your walk with Jesus vital? Were you more excited about Him and His word in the past? Perhaps you have grown weary in well doing? Perhaps the business of life has captured your attention and you have departed from the "better part"? Martha was caught up in doing good things that needed to be done. People need to eat and the day Jesus visited there was certainly a crowd to feed. Martha saw Mary as wasting her time instead of helping. Mary was at the feet of Jesus listening intently to every word he uttered. Mary knew that life was in Jesus words. In fact, everything was in His words.
Imagine you are alive in 1941 and Japan attacks your nation. Imagine the different emotions you must be feeling: anxiety, doubt and most certainly fear. At that time the war had been proceeding in Europe and America was watching. Many people did not want to join the war: they were called isolationists. After the attack on Pearl Harbor we were drawn into the battle. President Roosevelt gave a speech to the American public and told them that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. How true those words were and are today. We are blinded with a media assault of nothing but fear. We have certain church leaders whose central message is fear. Hollywood likes to join in as well as professors claiming destruction is at our doorstep.
Imagine for a moment you are a prosecutor and a woman has just been brought before the people who had been caught in the act of adultery breaking the Law of Moses. You may think to yourself, how can I lose this one to the public defender? The punishment for the crime of adultery is stoning. There are people and plenty of stones to throw. Then imagine the religious leaders want to test this radical named Jesus, and they ask Him what should be done with this woman. Jesus does not respond quickly as is His custom, but rather begins to write on the ground. Again the accusers want an answer. Jesus sees this woman with great compassion. Jesus knows the law and what it requires death by stoning. Jesus also makes a statement at another time that He did not come to destroy the law but rather to fulfill it.
The disciples are following Jesus’s instructions and enter a boat to cross to the other side. On their journey suddenly a mighty storm arises and waves begin to beat against the boat. How many times in our own lives as we follow Jesus do sudden storms arise? There are storms that you can see and seek shelter, but this was not that kind of storm. This storm was sudden and serious. Even though the disciples had been with Jesus and seen the miraculous, this storm brought fear. Fear is not the opposite of faith. Fear is faith in the circumstances. In addition remember some of these men were fishermen by trade and were well aware of what this kind of storm. As a side note it is amazing how many people are experts in your storm. These experts can tell you all about the storm, yet they have no answers to address the storm. If you have ever been on the water in a boat, then you can attest to the impact if a storm arises, and you are not close to shore. The waves beat the boat and the rain cuts right through your body. What about the storms of life we go through? You might be going through one right now. Whether a natural storm or a storm of life, your body will take a beating, however, the greatest attack comes against your thoughts.
Finish Strong Never Quit 
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