I am not a
betting man. I have never played a betting game or put any money in a slot
machine. The closest I have come to betting is scratching off or peeling off
some sticker at the local McDonalds to see if I won a free Big Mac or Coke with
my next meal.
However, if I were a gambling man, one thing in life that is a sure bet is if you haven’t been in a really difficult situation and you’re not currently in one, then there is probably one waiting for you right around the corner.
When a crisis hits, your first response is usually to scream something like, ‘why me?’ Even Jesus asked that question when He was on the cross. Remember what He shouted? “My God, my God WHY hast thou forsaken me?”
It’s true that some storms of life are caused by our own sin. However, many storms occur even when we’re not doing anything wrong. We can be in the middle of God’s will and doing exactly what He asked us to do!
That was the case for Daniel. He was obeying God and trying to be a devout, obedient Jew in Jerusalem. Then King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army marched from Babylon to Jerusalem, tore down the walls protecting the city, destroyed the temple, and took the cream-of-the-crop young Jews (including Daniel) back to Babylon where they were exiled for 70 years. Even though Daniel was following God, he found himself in a captivity so violent there were times he wondered if he might not survive.
Another example comes when Jesus told His disciples to get in a boat and cross the Sea of Galilee. Even though they were obeying Jesus, they still found themselves in a storm that was so violent they didn’t know if they would even survive.
But here is the important message from these events: with the help of Jesus, they survived. We must accept the fact that life is not a perfectly smooth ride. The road will sometimes have bumps, potholes, and sharp turns.
Look upon these difficulties and tragedies as part of life. Turn to Jesus for guidance and the Holy Spirit for comfort. Trust in God’s Word and His promises. He will be beside you as you get through the triumphs and tragedies of life.
Take a moment to read Matthew 14:22-27. Let your mind focus on the words of Jesus, ‘Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid.’
However, if I were a gambling man, one thing in life that is a sure bet is if you haven’t been in a really difficult situation and you’re not currently in one, then there is probably one waiting for you right around the corner.
When a crisis hits, your first response is usually to scream something like, ‘why me?’ Even Jesus asked that question when He was on the cross. Remember what He shouted? “My God, my God WHY hast thou forsaken me?”
It’s true that some storms of life are caused by our own sin. However, many storms occur even when we’re not doing anything wrong. We can be in the middle of God’s will and doing exactly what He asked us to do!
That was the case for Daniel. He was obeying God and trying to be a devout, obedient Jew in Jerusalem. Then King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army marched from Babylon to Jerusalem, tore down the walls protecting the city, destroyed the temple, and took the cream-of-the-crop young Jews (including Daniel) back to Babylon where they were exiled for 70 years. Even though Daniel was following God, he found himself in a captivity so violent there were times he wondered if he might not survive.
Another example comes when Jesus told His disciples to get in a boat and cross the Sea of Galilee. Even though they were obeying Jesus, they still found themselves in a storm that was so violent they didn’t know if they would even survive.
But here is the important message from these events: with the help of Jesus, they survived. We must accept the fact that life is not a perfectly smooth ride. The road will sometimes have bumps, potholes, and sharp turns.
Look upon these difficulties and tragedies as part of life. Turn to Jesus for guidance and the Holy Spirit for comfort. Trust in God’s Word and His promises. He will be beside you as you get through the triumphs and tragedies of life.
Take a moment to read Matthew 14:22-27. Let your mind focus on the words of Jesus, ‘Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid.’
Pastor Mark "The Bru" Brunott
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