Fifth Day of Advent

Thursday, December 5, 2019

The Wonder of What God Has Done Through His Son:

An Advent Devotional Guide

And he said to them, “Where is your faith?”  Luke 8:25a

Most of the disciples were fishermen, accustomed to the storms that swept down between the mountains on the Sea of Galilee, in that area that can be almost like a wind tunnel. Yet here they were in the ship, fishermen terrified that the storm would collapse their vessel.

I am an extremely sound sleeper. I go to sleep quickly, and I hear very little once I am there. Occasionally someone asks me what I thought of a big storm in the night, with its thunder and lightning. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know it had even rained! Jesus also slept soundly! The disciples were terrified, but he didn’t know it was raining!

They were afraid of the familiar. What about us? What about all the many kinds of storms of our lives? Are we often afraid our ship will sink? Two of my grandsons are in Iraq right now, and sometimes a storm rages around them in my mind, until I remember they belong to Jesus, and he is there with them in the storm. The news of our economy makes people crazy, but this Scripture reminds us that if Jesus is in our boat, he’ll calm even that storm when he is ready.

Years ago, I went to see John Blankenbeckler, a former member of our church. He was very ill, and I guess my concern showed on my face. He took my hand and said quietly, “Patience, it’s all right. Jesus is still in my boat.” I’ll never forget either his words or the expression on his face as he spoke those words of faith.

Father, Thank you for calming storms. Help us to learn valuable lessons of faith in the storms, and help us to trust you even while the storm rages. Amen

The Wonder of What God Has Done Through His Son:

An Advent Devotional Guide
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Winter 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator