Psalm 65:7
You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples.
So you want to get away from the rat race. You long for peace and tranquility which will settle your stress and frustration. You dream of a simpler and more sedate time.
There is a program on Public Television called Alone In the Wilderness that chronicles the year in the life of a man who left civilization and built a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness. The utter isolation was interrupted occasionally by a small bush plane which brought him supplies and mail—but other than that, it was only Dick and the wild animals.
As idyllic as the scenes of the program might be, isolation is not the answer to the hustle and chaos of daily living. Man is by his very nature created to have interaction with others. There may be recluses who cut themselves off from other people, but by their very actions they reveal there are problems which have not been resolved.
In Mark 4, Jesus told His disciples to take the boats to the other side of the lake. While Jesus slept peacefully on a cushion, a furious squall came up and threatened the boats. Remember that many of these disciples were seasoned fishermen who had spent their lives out on this lake in all kinds of weather. Now they trembled! If ever they needed peace and quiet, it was now.
In their fear and alarm they called out to Jesus. It seemed impossible that He could sleep through such a storm. The men woke Jesus and asked Him if He didn’t care if they were about to drown. It is then that we read the quiet words of power which we read in Mark 4:39: Quiet! (peace) Be still! Immediately the wind died down and the sea became calm.
The disciples had concluded that all was hopeless and that they would never reach shore again. It was only then that they called to Jesus—perhaps they thought to wake Him to prepare for the inevitable drowning, because they had never before witnessed Him quieting the wind and waves.
You may be facing situations that are threatening to swamp your boat! Now is the time to call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember . . . it is Jesus who has the power to calm and bring order out of chaos.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil