The Roller Coaster Ride
Bring Jesus On Board
Just after he had fed a multitude with five loaves and two small fish, the disciples crossed the lake in a boat. As they sailed they became afraid as a storm blew up and the boat rocked violently. Then they saw Jesus walking across the water towards them. "Do not be afraid," called Jesus. "It is I!" They helped Him into the boat and the storm subsided.
They had seen Jesus perform the miracle of feeding five thousand men. Think about it. There must have been many woman and children as well. All those people had enough to eat at no cost. What a miracle it was. Then the friends had taken to their boat to cross the lake. Suddenly their fortunes changed. They were no longer on terra firma and they did not have Jesus with them. Naturally they were afraid. Then they see him walking on the water – another miracle! Next he is in the boat with them – a third miracle within hours.
Thinking about it, we all have an experience like that in our lives. Some of us have the experience more than once. Life can be really chaotic at times, so we need the ability to get through. Just think of those poor families in West Virginia whose menfolk were involved in the accident in the coal mine. Their lives were rocky to begin with, judging by the company’s safety record. They must have been permanently afraid of hearing bad news every day the men went to work. Suddenly they are told their loved ones are in mortal danger and they are meeting together to pray for a positive outcome. Next they are told of a miracle. All the men are safe. Not long afterwards comes the grim news that all but one has perished. Now they are in shock until the grief process moves on and they begin to wonder how life will be without the men who shared it with them.
Life’s roller coaster can be wicked sometimes. But we can learn a small but important lesson from this. When they thought their men were safe they were praising God and singing, "How great Thou art." In other words, when they bounced back they praised God for being with them. For us we must note that God is with us at all times. He shares our joy and our sadness. He dances with us when we want to celebrate and he shares our grief and weeps with us when we are suffering. He is not a figure sitting in the balcony of life keeping score like a tennis umpire. He is down on the ground with us.
I knew a minister who answered the call to go out and work as a missionary in South Africa. Not long after he arrived he was taken to see the shanty towns. "Where is God in all this?" he asked his friend. "God is actually here," said his friend, "suffering with his people."
This helps us to understand that God is not here today and gone tomorrow but a constant presence with his people. All that we do he experiences with us. I once heard of a man declaring, "I believe in God, and if I woke up in Hell I would still believe in him!" No truer words have ever been spoken. Sometimes we do wake up in Hell and find God is there to rescue us. Being a Christian is not an existence that protects us from all life’s bad experiences. But we do have a faith that will see us through so that we reach safety in one piece.
One day I was going round a factory with one of the directors who was Jewish. I could not believe my eyes when I saw a swastika daubed on the side of the lift (elevator in the USA). "Don’t they know who pays them?" I asked. "They just don’t understand." said Mr Aisenburg, brushing it off A few weeks later I saw him on TV, part of a delegation of Holocaust survivors, speaking to a school’s sixth form. He was speaking about his experience and tears were rolling down his cheeks!
That man had gone through the most terrible experience modern times have known. He would never be able to forget. He lost his family and friends in that dreadful place. What sort of employee could daub a swastika on his premises? It demonstrates the sort of daily life some people have and still they bounce back. The bounce comes because God is here with us to see us through.
Whether we are Jewish, Moslem or Christian we worship the same God who cares enough to share our lives. Like the disciples on the lake, we are glad to get him on board because we feel safe with him. In other words we say that he makes all the difference. I know one thing: if ever I were in trouble I would want God on my side. Bring Him on board and He will be there for you.
Just after he had fed a multitude with five loaves and two small fish, the disciples crossed the lake in a boat. As they sailed they became afraid as a storm blew up and the boat rocked violently. Then they saw Jesus walking across the water towards them. "Do not be afraid," called Jesus. "It is I!" They helped Him into the boat and the storm subsided.
They had seen Jesus perform the miracle of feeding five thousand men. Think about it. There must have been many woman and children as well. All those people had enough to eat at no cost. What a miracle it was. Then the friends had taken to their boat to cross the lake. Suddenly their fortunes changed. They were no longer on terra firma and they did not have Jesus with them. Naturally they were afraid. Then they see him walking on the water – another miracle! Next he is in the boat with them – a third miracle within hours.
Thinking about it, we all have an experience like that in our lives. Some of us have the experience more than once. Life can be really chaotic at times, so we need the ability to get through. Just think of those poor families in West Virginia whose menfolk were involved in the accident in the coal mine. Their lives were rocky to begin with, judging by the company’s safety record. They must have been permanently afraid of hearing bad news every day the men went to work. Suddenly they are told their loved ones are in mortal danger and they are meeting together to pray for a positive outcome. Next they are told of a miracle. All the men are safe. Not long afterwards comes the grim news that all but one has perished. Now they are in shock until the grief process moves on and they begin to wonder how life will be without the men who shared it with them.
Life’s roller coaster can be wicked sometimes. But we can learn a small but important lesson from this. When they thought their men were safe they were praising God and singing, "How great Thou art." In other words, when they bounced back they praised God for being with them. For us we must note that God is with us at all times. He shares our joy and our sadness. He dances with us when we want to celebrate and he shares our grief and weeps with us when we are suffering. He is not a figure sitting in the balcony of life keeping score like a tennis umpire. He is down on the ground with us.
I knew a minister who answered the call to go out and work as a missionary in South Africa. Not long after he arrived he was taken to see the shanty towns. "Where is God in all this?" he asked his friend. "God is actually here," said his friend, "suffering with his people."
This helps us to understand that God is not here today and gone tomorrow but a constant presence with his people. All that we do he experiences with us. I once heard of a man declaring, "I believe in God, and if I woke up in Hell I would still believe in him!" No truer words have ever been spoken. Sometimes we do wake up in Hell and find God is there to rescue us. Being a Christian is not an existence that protects us from all life’s bad experiences. But we do have a faith that will see us through so that we reach safety in one piece.
One day I was going round a factory with one of the directors who was Jewish. I could not believe my eyes when I saw a swastika daubed on the side of the lift (elevator in the USA). "Don’t they know who pays them?" I asked. "They just don’t understand." said Mr Aisenburg, brushing it off A few weeks later I saw him on TV, part of a delegation of Holocaust survivors, speaking to a school’s sixth form. He was speaking about his experience and tears were rolling down his cheeks!
That man had gone through the most terrible experience modern times have known. He would never be able to forget. He lost his family and friends in that dreadful place. What sort of employee could daub a swastika on his premises? It demonstrates the sort of daily life some people have and still they bounce back. The bounce comes because God is here with us to see us through.
Whether we are Jewish, Moslem or Christian we worship the same God who cares enough to share our lives. Like the disciples on the lake, we are glad to get him on board because we feel safe with him. In other words we say that he makes all the difference. I know one thing: if ever I were in trouble I would want God on my side. Bring Him on board and He will be there for you.
posted by Keith Alexander at Friday, January 06, 2006
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