A seagoing captain commanded a passenger ship that was sailing from Liverpool, England, to New York. His family was on board with him. One night, when everyone was asleep, a squall unexpectedly swept over the waters and tossed the ship violently, awakening the passengers. They were all terribly afraid because of the storm. The captain’s little 8-year-old girl was also awakened. “What’s the matter?” cried the frightened child. Her mother told her that a sudden storm had struck the ship. “Is Father on deck?” she asked. “Yes, Father’s on deck.” Hearing these words, the little girl snuggled back into her bed and, in a few moments, was sound asleep. The winds still blew, and the waves still rolled, but her fears were calmed because her father was at the helm.
There are so many times in our lives when we are controlled by worry and fear because of storms that come into our lives. When we allow our thoughts to be controlled by these worries and fears, our world turns upside down. We begin to have trouble sleeping and relaxing as our minds are constantly distracted. It eventually affects every area of our lives. Why do we fear? We fear because we do not trust the one at the helm, Jesus.
God’s word says in Matthew 8:24-26 that Jesus was going to cross over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee with his disciples by boat. Verse 24 says that “Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”
The disciples failed to realize who was truly at the helm. Jesus did not say they were going to go to the middle of the sea and drown, He said they were going to cross over to the other side. They failed to trust in what Jesus said, and He rebuked them because of their lack of faith.
When we truly learn to trust in Jesus and His Word, we will be like the young girl who rested securely, knowing that her father was at the helm. The question that remains for us is, “Who’s at the helm of our lives?” Don’t let fear and worry control you, trust the helmsman, Jesus Christ.
Would you like to know more? Contact us at 425-432-0634 or www.taylorcreekchurch.org. We would love to talk to you about the hope we have in Christ. Join us every Sunday at 9 AM for Sunday School and 10:15 AM for Worship. 21110 244th Ave. S.E., Maple Valley.
