To the Other Side

Have you ever watched a movie in which the Hero faces an overwhelming challenge early in the plot, prompting you to think, 'This can't be happening. If the Hero dies now, the movie will only last about ten minutes.' This metaphor resonated with me today as I reflected on a similar situation in the Bible.

I read in Luke 8:22-25: "One day Jesus said to His disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, He fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples woke Him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!' He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 'Where is your faith?' He asked his disciples. In fear and amazement, they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.'" (NIV)

A key realization struck me in this story: Jesus (the Hero) was in the boat with the disciples! At this moment, His purpose had not yet been fulfilled; His story was still unfolding, and therefore, He could not perish. We are familiar with the prophecies regarding Jesus and what He would accomplish. He was still months away from the cross when he invited the disciples to journey to the other side of the lake.

The scripture begins with the resolute command, "Jesus said, 'Let us go to the other side of the lake.'" This wasn't just a mere suggestion but a calling from the Father. As the narrative continues, we discover that Jesus was determined to deliver a man bound by a legion of demons for far too long. He recognized the urgency of this mission, both for the tormented man and as a teaching moment for His disciples about spiritual warfare. This call was not just an invitation but a divine orchestration, a call to ministry for His followers. When Jesus calls us to journey to the other side, there lies a grand design and purpose waiting to be unveiled; it's our own calling to serve.

I have felt a similar call within my own life and made the choice to step into the boat alongside Jesus, embarking on this new venture toward the other side. Yet, much like the disciples, I found myself enveloped in fear during our voyage.

Today was one of those challenging moments for me. A storm brewed around me—the pressures of life looming like dark clouds. As I brewed my morning coffee, I couldn't shake the weight of my worries, and each thought crashed against my mind like relentless waves. I felt like the frightened disciples, overwhelmed by the turmoil surrounding me, convinced I would sink beneath the surface of my circumstances. I cried out to Jesus, echoing their distress, pleading for His intervention because I felt on the brink of drowning.

At that moment, I forgot that I was in the boat with Jesus, who still had chapters of my story left to write and would not allow me to be lost. As I contemplated His words, "Where is your faith?" I faced a crucial choice: Would I place my trust in Jesus, or would I succumb to my fears? I turned those words over in my mind, feeling the gentle conviction of the Holy Spirit, reminding me of the countless miracles I had witnessed throughout my life. Why was I allowing doubt to creep in like a thief in the night?

In my reflection, I realized that the storms we encounter in life serve as mere distractions, tactics employed by the enemy to instill seeds of doubt. Upon further deliberation, I recognized he wields few weapons; he resorts instead to dismay, deception, delay, disillusionment, denouncement, death, and disease. The adversary understood that Jesus was on His way to win a monumental battle once He reached the other side of the lake, and so he sought to deter both Jesus and the disciples with the ferocity of the storm, hoping to instill fear and compel them to turn back. However, we can steel ourselves for the fight when we understand the enemy's tactics and remain watchful against his schemes.

With Jesus aboard, even when it appears that He's asleep, He is acutely aware of our struggles. We need not surrender to fear or despair. Walking in faith with God means He will shield and safeguard us. It is only when we strive independently, seeking control on our own, that we risk slipping or sinking beneath our burdens. Yet, because Jesus is in my boat, by the end of the day, He calmed the storm encircling my life. Miraculously, the chaos I faced transformed into a profound sense of peace. I was reeling, feeling weighed down by worries, and then, out of the blue, I received a notification proclaiming, "Paid in full."

Isn't that what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross? He paid it all in full. I stand in awe of His AMAZING GRACE. To articulate the depth of our Heavenly Father's compassion feels almost insurmountable. I am reminded anew how unworthy I am of Him who gave everything. This understanding fills me with profound gratitude and humility, recognizing that I am cherished by a God who is infinitely greater than I can ever comprehend.