OzThoughts. Tuesday 4th January, 2010

OzThoughts. Tuesday 4th January, 2010


For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
... And he will be called
…Mighty God…
(Isaiah 9: 6 New International Version).

By now many of you know I like messing around in my boat. However, I do not get to do it as often as you might imagine. Not only has time to be available but also the weather needs to be right. In a small aluminium boat, wind and waves mean too much water in the boat. I now have the use of a boat that is about a metre longer and proportionately larger. It certainly feels a lot safer but it still has severe restrictions on where and when it can be used.

Unfortunately, it seems that regularly there are stories of mishaps caused by wind and waves. Sometimes, there is loss of life or very serious injury. At other times people are rescued and come to realise how fortunate they were that help was close at hand.

Some of Jesus disciples not only enjoyed messing around in boats but were professional fishermen. Their lives and their income depended upon them understanding their boat and the sea and not only its seasons but its moods. Mark tells this story

36 They took him (Jesus) in the boat as he was. Other boats came along.
37 A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it.
38 And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, "Teacher, is it nothing to you that we're going down?"
39 Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass.
40 Jesus reprimanded the disciples: "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?"
41 They were in absolute awe, staggered. "Who is this, anyway?" they asked. "Wind and sea at his beck and call!" (Mark 4:36-45 The Message)

Who is this? As the last verse of a song which has well known early verses says:

O, well we know it was the Lord,
Our Saviour and our Friend,
Whose care of those who trust His word
Will never, never end.

Yes, it is Jesus, Mighty God, even the wind and sea obey him.

PRAYER;

Father God, thank you for the power we see demonstrated in your Son, Jesus. We have a confidence in him as we face this new year. Help us in the storms to have a confidence, in you our almighty God and in your son, Jesus. Amen.

A little ship was on the sea,
It was a pretty sight;
It sailed along so pleasantly,
And all was calm and bright.

When lo! a storm began to rise,
The wind grew loud and strong;
It blew the clouds across the skies,
It blew the waves along.

And all, but One, were sore afraid
Of sinking in the deep:
His head was on a pillow laid,
And He was fast asleep.

"Master, we perish! -- Master, save!"
They cried, -- their Master heard;
He rose, rebuked the wind and wave,
And stilled them with a word.

He to the storm says, "Peace, be still,"
The raging billows cease;
The mighty winds obey His will,
And all are hushed to peace.

O, well we know it was the Lord,
Our Saviour and our Friend,
Whose care of those who trust His word
Will never, never end.
Author : Anonymous


Psalm 107:23-30 (The Message)
23 Some of you set sail in big ships;
you put to sea to do business in faraway ports.
24 Out at sea you saw GOD in action,
saw his breathtaking ways with the ocean:
25 With a word he called up the wind--
an ocean storm, towering waves!
26 You shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out;
your hearts were stuck in your throats.
27 You were spun like a top, you reeled like a drunk,
you didn't know which end was up.
28 Then you called out to GOD in your desperate condition;
he got you out in the nick of time.
29 He quieted the wind down to a whisper,
put a muzzle on all the big waves.
30 And you were so glad when the storm died down,
and he led you safely back to harbor.
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