With Jesus in the Storm
When traumatic, earth-shattering, and mind-blowing things happen to people, and they later recount their stories, what typically stands out--even if they are not good story tellers, is the amount of detail that comes along. A fairly recent example of this is 9/11. When people tell their story of this world-altering event, they typically recall vividly where they were, what they were doing, and who they were with when they saw the plane crash into the Twin Towers. I know I can. Or, if you are a little older, you have a similar keen recollection of events when you heard the news that President Kennedy had been shot. This is also true for each of us when life altering things happen in our own lives. I still remember every detail of what happened thirty-four years ago, when I was on the campus of Ole Miss and turned around and saw Teri standing there looking at me; where we were, what she was wearing, the size of her Bible, how her hair was styled, and even much of our first conversation. I also remember what I was doing when Teri told me to brace myself--we had a surprise 6th child on the way! I was driving in my blue pickup on Poplar, and I still remember the telephone pole I almost hit! Why? When something life-altering--wonderful or terrifying--happens, our senses are alive and our adrenaline is pumping. It is like our senses are on steroids. Now if you understand that, you will understand what the disciples felt when they were in a boat and a horrific storm hit; they all thought they were going to die. Here is what is amazing about the story: there is a lot of detail given because, as afraid as the disciples were because of the storm, when Jesus calmed the winds and the sea--they were even more terrified. The disciples never forgot what it was like to have Jesus with them in the storm. This Sunday, we are talking about what life is like knowing that we have Jesus with us in the storms of life. We'll talk more about it then! Hope to see you here! Blessings, Jim