ROW, ROW, ROW

...Be of good cheer;
it is I;
be not afraid.
Mark 6: 50B

One of my favorite places on this earth, to this day is the Baptist Camp I got to attend one week each summer through junior high school. I got to be a camp counselor for a couple of weeks each of my high school summers there. Only Heaven will reveal how God worked in my young heart during those days in that place. A city lake touches on a part of the camp so at one point, someone built a dock so that there could be some boating for camp attendees. I recall the first time I was told that as a counselor, I would need to go out in a boat, oar in hand and learn to manipulate myself on the water. Camp kids couldn't go out in a boat without a counselor so I needed to “step up to the boat.” I loved doing it.

In this process, I was reminded of a statement I heard and don't know the source or who said it in my hearing:. The person said, “Every one has row their own boat.” I couldn't figure out for the the life of me what that meant until I found myself in a row boat on a small part of that lake, all by myself. I found with me in that boat alone, that boat wasn't going to get to shore if I didn't do the work. I also realized that process was a real lesson in responsibility. What few times I was alone in the boat, I would have appreciated some company. The rowing would have been so much easier if there was someone to help. There wasn't though and the responsibility was mine to get that boat back to shore and docked properly.

To this day, I must say that as I read incidents of Jesus' disciples finding themselves in a boat during a storm and in real trouble, that it gets my attention every time. Some of those men were experienced in handling a boat because of their prior occupations so there shouldn't have been a problem EXCEPT for storms that could suddenly arise over the water, creating huge winds and waves. All was well until that happened and it's just as true today except in a different context.

Even in every day life, we are responsible to “row our own boats”. That's just the way life is. We can have the fellowship of friends and family, but when storms come, we often feel very alone...worried, nervous, frightened...especially when the “storms” in our lives hit and we wonder how we can possibly survive it all.

Jesus wanting some time alone, asked the disciples to go ahead of Him to the far side of the lake. It wasn't long until Jesus saw the storm that had hit the lake and that the disciples were really struggling. They were trying to row into the wind to get where they wanted to go, but it was only causing real panic. Before the disciples knew it, Jesus came walking on the water to them. They weren't sure at first it was Jesus, but He made Himself known and even got into the boat with them. Immediately the storm ceased and the disciples were shocked. The Scripture finishes with the disciples who should have remembered the feeding of the multitude that had just happened. This miracle in the boat shouldn't have surprised them.

How about us? Our life's boat may be rocking and heaving with the problems of health, finances, family concerns or even concerns for our country. We row and fight the waves wearing ourselves out emotionally. We need to remember that Jesus is in our boats. Remember that God has told us He will never leave or forsake us....that includes Him in our boats. He wants to bring His peace and strength into our lives. We can row ourselves to death and not be able to defeat any of the stormy winds that assault us. We like the disciples underestimate what Jesus can do in the middle of our storms. Worse yet, we forget the miracles and I do mean miracles He has brought about in our own lives.

We, like those disciples, forget the wonders Jesus has worked in our times of difficulty that were miraculous. Jesus has a more than wonderful track record in our lives so how can we forget it all. I recall times of prayer during a really tough time where it seemed like nothing changed. He doesn't change, He's still just as powerful to work on our behalf and better yet...He's in our boats. We still need to do our part in the rowing, but better yet to remember that He is our peace and strength. He's that presence that we can't ignore no matter how the winds and waves beat at our lives. Even if some storms don't cease after praying about them, we still have Jesus in our boat and He can get us through anything.

Dear Jesus, thank You for coming into my very small boat when I was at the age of ten. You have been a faithful presence ever since, especially in the difficult times I've had to face. You have worked in wonderful and miraculous ways and I'm so grateful. Thank You for Your continued presence in my life. I love You. In Your precious name I pray...Amen