Bottom of the Boat

 Mark 4:35-41

This has been a difficult season 2020 and now early 2021. Not only has it been a year of dealing with COVID-19 but everything in our world seems upside down. What is good is labeled evil, what is evil is considered good. If you don’t agree with what is popular, you are canceled. Executive orders are at an all time high and freedom seems to only belong to the lawless.

As an intercessor my heart was weary. Intensive prayer had been going on for over a year. I was irritable and didn’t want to hear anyone’s opinion on anything. I sat doing a jigsaw puzzle in our house by the lake. As I tried to forget about the stresses of life I just got more angry. I heard in my spirit, "get in the bottom of the boat." I knew that voice was Jesus. I tried to ignore that voice and continue to entertain my frustration but the voice came again, "get in the bottom of the boat." I knew what the LORD was showing me if I continued to entertain these negative thoughts they would begin to take on a life of their own. Jesus was calling me to the bottom of the boat in the midst of the storm. He was calling me to be quiet and rest with Him. I finally yielded to His voice and peace returned to my soul.

So, why the bottom of the boat? I woke up in the night a few weeks back restless and praying for our country. I heard those words, "get in the bottom of the boat." I immediately thought about the time Jesus was sleeping in the bottom of the boat while the disciples were panicking because the storm was raging and the boat was swamping. They woke Jesus in their fear and Jesus calmed the storm and questioned his disciples why they were afraid, where was their faith? The disciples had spent days and nights with their rabbi. They had witnessed miracles, heard His teaching and were living in the presence of the Son of God but when the storm began to rage their faith crashed into the waves crashing around them. They just were not ready to face the storm in faith. Later, in the book of Acts we see a very different picture of these men when they boldly spoke the gospel as they faced the perils of a hostile world.

We like the disciples have walked with Jesus, studied His word and have the presence of the Holy Spirit but at times we are just not ready or perhaps too weary to face the storm in faith. In those times Jesus calls us to retreat from storm to the safety of the bottom of the boat with Him. He calms the storm and invites us to rest with Him, He takes us out of the storm to help us see from His perspective. He wants us to have clarity about what we face and draw our strength from Him. He calls us into a place of peace. If we retreat will Him we will re-emerge into our circumstances clothed in His strength and wisdom and able to command the storm to, "be still!"

Prayer

Precious Jesus, help me hear Your call to rest with You, be calmed by You and let You bring clarity to my soul. Holy Spirit increase my faith to believe in Your power in me. Help me emerge from this time of being hidden with You to face the storm with clarity, certainty and the authority that You have given me. In Jesus. Amen