A reflection by Charlie
This Sunday we heard from both Rocky and Nick, who shared simple but powerful messages.
Philippians 4:4-8
4 Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! 5 Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. 7 Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. 8 From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise.
As humans, with jobs and families and day-to-day stresses, we tend to overcomplicate things and worry needlessly over details. The bible does not tell us that life will be easy, or stress free, but what it does tell us is that God is there for us; he will always have time for us, his children. He makes us a priority, and we can also choose to make him a priority in our lives. We can choose to hand things over to him and in return receive rest and assurance.
Mark 4:36 - 41
35 Later that day, when evening came, Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” 36 They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was. Other boats followed along. 37 Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” 39 He got up and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” The wind settled down and there was a great calm. 40 Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?” 41 Overcome with awe, they said to each other, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
Jesus calmed literal storms and this is the same power we have in our lives. God is extra-ordinary, but it can be really difficult to remember this when consumed with our ordinary lives. This week I will be doing my best to remember that God has given me deliverance and set joy before me, ready for the taking whenever I choose to be humble, and take up his promises.