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LEARN & GROW
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Week of April 19, 2009
KEY VERSE
"And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:39)
CENTRAL TRUTH
When we learn to trust in God's sovereignty, we can walk free of anxiety and fear, knowing that our loving Father has everything under control.
DEVOTION
Sudden trials can darken our view of the future and shake our understanding of God. In times of extreme testing it can be difficult to trust God's love and care. In the previous verses, Jesus and His disciples took an overnight boat trip across the Sea of Galilee. What started out smoothly soon appeared to be headed for disaster. With Jesus asleep on a pillow in the stern, whitecaps turned into monstrous waves, threatening to swamp the boat. Terrified and desperate, the disciples woke Jesus. Moments later, Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves and immediately restored calm. My friend was recently diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. As he began to lose weight and to grow weaker, he spent fewer hours at work, and his business began to falter. He grew angry with God for allowing such challenges to alter his health, his family life, and his livelihood. His wife, a woman of remarkable faith, invited us to their home for dinner and a time of prayer. We prayed for strength for each day and for grace for them to rest in God's sovereignty. In the midst of their storm-tossed circumstances, God shows that He is Master of everything seen and unseen. For months, He touched the hearts of friends to provide meals, transportation, and fellowship. He even made it financially feasible for my friend to undergo surgery to relieve his condition and to have hope for a healthier future. My friend and his wife discovered that God's love transcends even the most tumultuous circumstances. As Jesus was with the disciples in the boat, so He is with us-- and not just with us, but in us, bidding us to rest in Him. As we do so, God guides us through storms, tribulations, and heartaches. We learn to walk, not by sight, but with a faith that honors Him. "Thou art the Lord who slept upon the pillow / Thou art the Lord who soothed the furious sea / What matter beating wind and tossing billow / If only we are in the boat with Thee?" (Amy Carmichael)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- When was the last time you faced a sudden calamity? What was your response and why?
- Can you be in the center of God's will and still experience hardship? Why or why not?
- What is the relationship between faith and suffering?
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