Peace, Be Still

I sat in the boat surrounded by my comrades
Fog shrouded our little ship
Fierce winds blew us first one way and then the other
When the wind parted the fog, we could see the waves tossing higher and higher
We baled frantically, making no headway as the waves crashed against the sides
Occasionally I glanced toward the back of the boat and still he slept
How could he sleep when our very lives were in danger?
Finally someone woke him with the words, “don’t you care if we drown?”
He woke and looked into our eyes and said to the wind and the waves, “Peace, be still.”

I sat in the boat surrounded by my church
A fog of mistrust shrouded our little ship
Fierce winds of controversy blew us first one way and then the other
Waves of accusation tossed us higher and higher
Folks baled frantically, but the waves of mistrust crashed against the sides
Threatening to swamp our little ship.
Occasionally I glanced to the heavens, but He seemed to be asleep
How could he sleep when His own Church seemed to be in such danger?
Finally someone roused Him with the words, “Don’t you care if the ship goes down?”
He stood in our midst and looked into each of our eyes and said, “Peace. Be Still.”

I sat in the boat surround by my family
A fog of damaged relationships shrouded our little ship
Fierce winds of broken dreams blew us first one way and then the other
Waves of misunderstanding tossed us higher and higher
We baled half-heartedly, but the storms of life crashed against the sides
Threatening to swamp our little ship
Occasionally I glanced into the midst of our turmoil and wondered if He was asleep
How could He sleep when our family threatened to disintegrate with each new wave?
In my anguish I cried out, “Don’t you care if we all drown?”
He stepped into our midst, laid His hands on our shoulders and said, “Peace, be still.”

I sat in the boat in the midst of my world
A fog of doubt and fear shrouded my little ship
Fierce winds of a world gone awry blew first one way and then another
Waves of corruption tossed me higher and higher
I had stopped baling because I could make no progress.
Was God asleep, did He not care?
I cried out in my anguish, “Lord, help me lest I drown!”
He stepped into my world and looked into my eyes.
He touched my life and said in a voice only I could hear, “Peace, my child. Be still.”

Jump, Ethan, Just Jump

We were sitting by the side of the pool at the hotel in St. Louis watching Ethan and John “swim”. Actually John was standing in about 4 feet of water, about 6 feet from the edge of the pool and Ethan was standing on the edge of the pool in front of him.

John was trying to get Ethan to jump into the water, but Ethan was fearful that the water was too deep.

Earlier John had taken Ethan into the pool and had him duck his head under the water. They had stood at just about the same spot where John was wanting Ethan to leap. Fear soon turned into panic and the recently turned six-year old just couldn’t make the jump.

“I’m right here, Ethan. I will catch you so nothing can happen to you.” John pleaded with Ethan to “just jump, Ethan, just jump!”

But Ethan was having none of it. The water looked too deep to him and he knew if he “just jumped” water would go into his nose and then what would happen…he couldn’t “just jump.”

His daddy continued to encourage him, cajole him, coax him, even became stern with him, but nothing would move Ethan from the edge of the pool into the water.

Meanwhile a boy of about 8 was watching from off to the side.

Suddenly without warning this boy ran and leaped from the edge right next to Ethan into the water right next to John.

He waded to the steps and then did it again, this time causing a large ripple of water.

Ethan stood up straighter and watched as one more time the boy ran and leaped, this time turning his body half-way-round so he landed facing Ethan instead of away from him.

Suddenly, Ethan leaped from the edge of the pool and landed right in front of John. Joy suffused both their faces and John praised Ethan for his overcoming his fear. Soon Ethan was climbing out of the pool and leaping toward John over and over. In fact, John had to keep backing up to keep from being dive-bombed by a six-year-old.

Many times in life God stands in the water of our lives encouraging us to “just jump” assuring us that He is there to catch us. We hesitate because the water looks too deep and we just aren’t sure what will happen if we just leap. “Moments” pass and we know we should trust Him, but it is too scary.

Then someone, sometimes even just a stranger, comes along and leaps into the pool and we see that He was right and we can really do it. We leap, we land o.k. and joy suffuses our entire being. We realize that we should have been able to “just jump” but we are grateful that someone else came along and showed us the way.