WHY does love cast fear out? WHY is love the antidote? Why can’t we hang onto love and remember it?? What even IS perfect love and how do I experience it?
Luke 8:22-25
1. When Jesus rested, HE RESTED IN THE ARMS OF HIS FATHER.
Jesus, in this moment, was resting because why not? HIS FATHER HAD HIM, and he was tired. So he laid down to rest. When we can become childlike again…it IS as simple as that. The Lord is our shepherd. And He loves us. So He will provide. He will protect. He will heal. He will rescue. Will things be PERFECT? No, because we still live here…but HE is here.
Psalm 23
2. The disciples went to the right person…but had the wrong conclusion.
God uses US in His ministry!! He didn’t send the son of God to be all alone in the world…He sent Him with help! He didn’t have to do it ALL, He just had to do His Father’s will, and let them do their jobs…
His problem wasn’t with providing rescue for them…it was with their panic.
Jesus is like…guys…get it together. You’re with the SON OF GOD. You believed in me enough to leave your whole lives behind…enough to follow when things are good…when I’m doing miracles and feeding people…but not enough in the storm.
Where is your faith?
They were fair weather followers.
A lot of us are fair weather followers.
ONLY “in” when things are easy. We haven’t dealt with our fear enough yet. We haven’t submitted our fears to Jesus enough yet. When things get tough, we yank back control.
Where was their faith? It went out the window when their fear was allowed to take the wheel.
Fear and faith don’t mix. They can’t BOTH be in the driver’s seat.
Jesus knew how to handle this situation.
3. Jesus didn’t pray. He rebuked.
He knew the difference between what to pray about, and what to just stand up and DO.
He KNEW His authority. Do YOU know HIS authority? Do you know the authority He’s given you?
This is one of those situations where He’s showing us. Not teaching, or explaining, DEMONSTRATING His authority
Some of us are asking God to do things, that HE told us to do.
Matthew 10:8
Matthew 10:11-15
Ephesians 3:20
We have to ACTUALLY understand who we are IN Christ Jesus. We have to actually understand that we are a son or daughter of the king and therefore carry HIS authority and blessing and protection and favor!
Do you DESERVE that? No, of course not. But He gave it!! His love covers that!!
When we TRULY understand, as Jesus understood, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER…we will also truly understand that we have nothing to fear from wind and waves. We’ll transition from fair weather followers, to…ride or die followers. To Even If He Doesn’t faith. I’m going to obey, come hell or high water…I’m GOING to obey, even if He doens’t come through for ME in exactly the way that I want.