Verse of the Day 1/27

Through the Bible - Isaiah 14-16, Mark 4:21-41

 

Good morning,

A while back I suggested reading a Psalm every morning.  This morning I read Psalm 121 as well as the passage in Mark (above).  I had never thought of the two together but, as most often is the case, the scriptures fit together.

Psalm 121 starts off with:

 

Ps 121: 1 I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!  NLT

 

Verse one shows us that it is not in God's creation that we find help, we find our help in the Lord, the creator of the heavens and the earth, displayed in the majesty of the mountains.

 

As mentioned a few days ago, the book of Mark goes at a fast pace, most of the passages are condensed, events are reduced down to a few verses in a remarkable way.  The power and majesty still come through.  For today's verse we'll go to one of the instances in scripture where Jesus calms the sea.

 

Mark 4:38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 And he awoke and  rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and  there was a great calm.  ESV

There are many events in our lives that come upon us all of a sudden.  These come in the form of accidents, illnesses, the loss of a job and many others.  Sometimes we'll feel like the disciples, that Jesus is with us but He must be asleep in the stern or at the wheel so to speak.  But if we keep believing and seek Him, He does have the power to calm the storm, to heal, to restore, and to transform.  When He does calm the storm, we will look back, like the disciples and ask Mark 4:41 "Who then is this, that even  wind and sea obey him?"   ESV

The challange for us, when troubles arise, is to keep believing.  Read the words to the song Keep Believing, written by Tim Pedigo and sung by the Gaither Vocal Band.

 

When troubles rise and catch you unaware

This day to day of living seems unfair

And you try again at dreams and plans

That end up in defeat

And the fancy thrills that once fulfilled

Now leave you incomplete

And you consider where your life went wrong

And why you can't find peace

Your hope's not gone - its just been too long

Since you had to believe

 

Keep believing in what you know is true

Keep believing, you know the Lord will see you through

When troubles rise in your life

And you don't know what to do

You'll be fine if you just keep believing

 

You can take Him at His word

He is faithful kind and true

Not a prayer will go unanswered

In His time He'll see you through.

 

 

Are you facing a storm today?  Keep believing, turn to the creator of the heavens and the earth; who is also the author and finisher of our faith.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Mark 4:35-5:1

 

Jesus Calms a Storm

 

35  On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."  36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves  were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 And he awoke and  rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and  there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you  so afraid? Have you still no faith?"  41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another,  "Who then is this, that even  wind and sea obey him?"   ESV