(J.R. Miller, “Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ” 1890)

“Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat!” Matthew 8:23-24

Had the disciples put out to sea without Christ’s bidding, they would not have had the same reason to expect His protection and deliverance.

The lesson we learn here, is that storms may arise, even when we are in the plain line of Christian duty. We should not be discouraged by the difficulty or trouble which comes, and conclude that we are in the wrong path.

We see, also, that Christ’s presence with His disciples does not keep the storms away. There are no promises in the Bible that Christian people shall not have trials. The Gospel builds no high walls around us, to break the force of the stormy winds. Troubles come to the Christian, just as surely as to the worldly man.

There are the storms of temptation–these sweep down with sudden and terrific power from the cold mountains of this world!

Then, there are storms of sickness, of disappointment and adversity, of sorrow–which make the waves and billows to roll over the soul.

On the Sea or Galilee, travelers say that a boat will be gliding along smoothly over the glassy surface, unbroken by a ripple–when suddenly, without a moment’s warning, a tempest will sweep down, and almost instantly the boat will be tossed upon the angry waves.

Just so, do many of life’s storms come. Great troubles come when we least expect them. We may be at peace in a happy home. At an hour when we think that all is calm, without warning–the darling child whom we love so much, lies dead in our arms! The friend we trusted, and who we thought would never fail us–proves false! The hopes cherished for years–wither in our hands, like flowers when the frost comes!

The storms of life are nearly all sudden surprises. They do not hang out danger-signals days before, to warn us. The only way to be ready for them, is to have Jesus with us in our boat.

Abba,

May this be true of us.  May we ever be clinging to and staying near to you.  May we never wander from or lose sight of you in the course of this life.  

There is no safer place to be.

There is no more joyous place to be.

There is no more secure place to be.

There is no more hopeful place to dwell.

The joy and comfort of your presence is beyond compare.

Though it not be all that we want yet

It is more than enough

Until in your presence we will stand

Your Spirit within is as tangible as flesh

Is as intimate as a lover

Is as personal as one’s closest friend

And is ever present and ready to engage

The problem is not you nearness, Abba.

The problem is our distraction

Our divided passions

Our disinterested pleasures

Your nearness and immanency

Your greatness and grandeur

Your sweetness and preciousness

Is lost in the vulgar clamoring off the world’s “delights”

Our truly greatest possession

Our most worthy pursuit

Is lost in the Adversaries glitz and shine

Of far less worthy pursuits

Thus when trial comes

The foundation upon which we have built our life

Is precarious and brittle

Is inadequate and instantly crumbles

So many of us who proclaim your name

Who profess intimacy with you

Who parade around with your label

Know so little of true intimacy

You are not as near to many

As you would earnestly desire

As we would desperately need

Nor as truly as we confess.

The world’s passions and delights

Often hold too much sway over us

And their immediate gratification

Have lured us away from the richer delicacies

Abba, oh Abba, keep us close

Entice us to come

So satisfy our hearts so that losing

What the world has to offer is no great loss

Let the intimacy of your Spirit fill our soul

Satisfy our longings

Speak louder than the clamor of the flesh

And satisfy truly

When trials come, and come they will

Let it be that we would not have to scramble

To locate you in the chaos of our lives

But merely lift up our hand to clutch yours

Ever near at our side.