Leflore Baptist Association

Buckle Up

Life has plenty of challenges, but one of my least favorites is motion sickness.  As far back as I can remember, I have battled this thorn in the flesh. Family trips always started with a great deal of enthusiasm, but at the tiniest hint of a curve, my whole world would begin to spin, and we would have to pull over, or I would have to hang my head out the window like a dog; neither option was much fun. Flying on a plane is no better. Even before takeoff, I locate the barf bag and begin fanning myself with it.  That never makes the people around me feel comfortable.

Life itself is sometimes filled with some pretty unsettling moments.  Matthew 8:23-27 describes one so vividly that I often feel nauseous when I read it. Jesus and the disciples were in a boat on the sea of Galilee when a tempest struck.  Scripture says the boat was covered with waves.  No doubt it was a bumpy ride, and everyone on board was in a panic.  Everyone except for Jesus, that is.  He didn’t seem to have a problem with motion sickness and could have slept through the whole ordeal.  But the disciples had had enough, and they woke Him saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” This was one ride the disciples wanted off! More concerned about their lack of faith than the choppy sea, Jesus asked why they were fearful, and before they could reply, “He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”  I love the response of the disciples when the ride suddenly came to an end.  They “marveled, saying ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him.’”  Their stomachs may have still been churning, but they had enough sense about them to know that the calming of the storm at Christ’s command was more than a coincidence.

I pray that we will remember this as we step into a new year. Life with Christ can be a wild ride at times.  It doesn’t always feel safe as the world defines safe.  We may have moments in the months ahead that make our stomachs churn and our worlds spin. But I find comfort in a couple of things from the disciples’ high sea adventure.  First, they didn’t face that tempest alone; Jesus was there, completely in control.  Second, the wild ride itself didn’t last forever, but the truth revealed and the faith built during those moments made the experience worthwhile for these men who loved Jesus and wanted to know Him better.  The result was worth any amount of motion sickness they may have endured.  So, take a Dramamine and buckle up for whatever God-ordained adventure may await you in 2025.  Grab a barf bag and start fanning if you must, but don’t miss out on what He has planned for you this year.  With Him, it is always worth it. 

Looking forward to what God will do in 2025,

Bentley Hill