Has God Asked You to Get Into the Boat? Part 2

Holy Land Picture of the Day   Snow in Jerusalem Today's picture is of snow in Jerusalem. It reminds us of Job 37:5-7; "God thunders with His voice wondrously, doing  great things which we cannot comprehend. For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the downpour and the rain, 'Be strong.'   “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away.” (Matt. 14:22). We learned last time that Jesus did, indeed, have bad days.  He had lost his best friend, John the Baptist, had tried to go into the mountain and pray but the people came to Him for healing and His disciples had failed to use their God given power to feed the people.  We know the results of their failure, Jesus said, “Bring the fives loaves and two fish here to Me.”  And He looked up to heaven and blessed the food and breaking it into loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” Hey, gang, what is going through your mind this morning?  If God suddenly spoke to you and said, “I am going to send a very hungry group of people across your path today and I want you to feed them,  I will provide you with a couple fish a few loaves of bread.” what would you say? In the early years of developing the Village we had a group of young people who worked for us that showed up at our table, completely unexpected, many times.  One Sunday noon we began our meal with our family of six and ended with more than twenty at our table and I do not recall ever running out of food.  I know there is the proverbial ‘add water to the soup’ but that was not the case.  It was now time for the disciples to send the people away, get out the bed rolls, build an evening fire and sit around chewing the fat over what had transpired that day, Right?  No, that is not what Jesus had in mind.  It was time for another learning experience of who knows how many.  It was time to turn up the heat.  Hey, have you ever been there when God says, “I need to get your attention -Immediately, Get into the boat?” It is here we find the Scripture for the day, Notice the first word -“IMMEDIATELY!” One might get the idea that Jesus looked at the failures of the day with a great deal of concern.  The shadow of the cross is growing more ominous each day. Jesus knew He did not have much time to prepare His twelve to carry the Good News to the multitudes after He ascended to the Father.   One of the profound memories I have of Korea was the night I pulled guard duty on the fourth watch; it was black as coal and I was terrified.  At the point when I thought my thumper was going to explode suddenly a heard music.  I thought surely my life was about to end and the angels were preparing the choir for my home coming.  There was a Catholic School just down the hill from the Center and a nun had gotten up for her morning prayers and was playing the Lord’s Prayer.  Now I want you to know folks, I mentioned I was a Laodicean Christian at that time but I took a gigantic step towards full commitment that night.  Again I remember a question that Pastor Stoll asked that day with him, “Do you think Jesus was punishing the disciples or trying to get their attention?  What say ye, young folks? Blessings,  Gramps