The Rock

by Pastor Timothy Fortune

A boat sets sail from a harbor and begins its journey to

reach the other side. As they are leaving the light is

beginning to fade into darkness and the wind is starting

to pick up. After a while upon the sea the boat is caught

in the midst of the storm. Now this is not just any storm.

It is one in which the sailors of the vessel began to get fearful. Now, I have never been caught in a storm on the water but for it to bring fear to sailors it must have been a pretty bad storm. The waves were so large that they were filling the boat. The crew and passengers were imagining the worst…”the boat is going to sink and we are going to drown.” I can see the people now, trying to scoop the water out of the boat with anything they can find. Some may have begun to cry others working franticly trying to keep the vessel from being overtaken with the waves and filling with water. As the crew and passengers are scrambling to keep themselves alive someone remembers there is a Man asleep in the stern of the boat. Waking Him up they ask Him, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” Now as He arose He did something that amazed everyone. He spoke to the storm and said, “Peace be still” and the storm stopped and the waves calmed. All of those fears are vanished and the terror gives way to joy.

Now sometimes in life we have a storm that comes upon us all of a sudden, there are no warnings, indications or hints. As these storms come our way we too began to be fearful or even cry. We think this is it; I am going to be overtaken by this storm and drown in these circumstances. Life is dark, no life jacket, and you are being tossed back and forth but these powerful winds (situations). Life seems to have taken a turn for the worst. Your emotions are unstable, and your mind is racing trying to find any means of safety and security. As the storms of life are upon you and you too are scrambling to keep yourself from drowning in circumstances just remember one thing. The One to whom the storms and circumstances are subject to is with you and His Name is JESUS. As you began to call upon Him in the midst of your “storm” He may not immediately change the circumstances nor bring you out. But what He will do is give you inner peace and a calmness knowing that as long as I am standing on The Rock then the winds can blow the storms can come but I am safe in Him

So wherever you are at today, in a storm or enjoying stillness, know that He is with you and will never leave you nor forsake you. Regardless of what may come you way He is bigger and in Him you are safe.