The devotional - 117 - The honorable and the foolish

Thought for the Day – 117 – The honorable and the foolish

Proverbs 20-3 – This trait is visible in people daily; the grouping of the gripers in the workplace and the lonely worker at their assigned position. Less striving and more production is honorable, those involved in a quarrelsome moment are branded by the Living Word of God as foolish, so STOP IT!

 

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If you have spent any time on the oceans of the world you know about the weather; calm and rough seas are within the top ten experiences of life on this planet. During the fourth watch of the night (3am to 6am) is a time for some of the calmest waters for men in a small boat on their way to the other side of a small sea to experience. In the days of the ministry of the LORD Jesus the only way to forecast calm seas was to watch the sunset. Red sunsets are a delight to all sailors, even in today’s technological quagmire. Matthew 16:2-3

Large ocean storms are very dangerous, a small boat would have a better chance of surviving one these, than a small boat on a small sea. The same amount of wind and rain on a small sea causes waves to densely populate and be very high, as the storm approaches and danger intensifies anyone in a small boat; even the seasoned sailor will give in to fear. So this is the scene we find in Mark 6:45:52. Jesus sent his disciples from Capernaum to Bethsaida across the sea a distance of four or five miles.

No one in the boat complained of the sunset of the night before so everyone was expecting a peaceful and pleasant journey. By the will of the LORD the sea was all but calm, the men were not rowing the boat to get to shore; they were rowing against the wind to maintain stability in the water, the shore was just and after though, like I wish we had never left it. Mark 6:48. The imagination runs wild in the midst of a storm as the wind and the water form monstrous images, made up of white foam and water mist, but still to the finite mind these elements are enough to cause great fear. Mark 6:49

Can you imagine the moment? One might have said; “I see a ghost” while another said; “no, but it is a person” and another; “this cannot be!” and lastly; O but look, it is JESUS. (for me writing this, this is the best part of the message) bringing wonderful tears to my eyes… O but look, it is JESUS because in Mark 6:50 it says for they ALL saw Him. I don’t know how you perceive this moment in time for the life of those disciples but for me, these men went from fear to being troubled.

This is a step in the right direction; from fear and panic to just being troubled about the scene unfolding in front of them now. Jesus walking on troubled waters. Now as the LORD sees that all eyes are on Him, He says: “Be (or Take courage) of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid. Where Jesus is, it is always joyful and calm, notice that when He stepped into the boat the wind ceased. Is this not the way it is when we allow Jesus to step into our life?

The future of the United States of America is high seas and unpredictable winds. While the liberal and socialistic predictions are pleasant sunsets of red, the fourth watch of the night is approaching. Believers in JESUS today are in a small boat; yes we will see Him and He will calm our hearts; the question is: have we; that is, before the storm hits… answered the call of the LORD to feed the thousands, or is our heart hardened to the point of failing to understand and share with the lost the gospel of the grace of God.