One Thing

DSC_1265By Judy Villanueva

Mark 4:36-40

“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.

The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Someone very dear to me is in the midst of a storm today. As I pray, I frantically scoop out the water that threatens! “Lord!” I cry out, “Where are you? Don’t you care?” That’s how it feels when the rain pounds, the wind whips, and the water rises. It is truly frightening, not to mention disorienting!

So, what is this faith that Jesus speaks of? Faith in what? For what? That we’ll be rescued? That God won’t let us drown? That He’ll provide shelter from the storm? Anyone who has walked with Jesus for more than a season knows that God allows His children to face storms…big ones and small ones. And, quite honestly, it seems perfectly reasonable to be afraid because it is terrifying to be overtaken by a storm! Much as we pray and scoop out water, it can feel like we are at the mercy of unpredictable winds and a sleeping Savior!

So, how was it that Jesus could lay his head down on a pillow and sleep during the storm? How was He not afraid? What faith did He know?

I think it must have been a faith in Love! Jesus trusted in His Father’s love…completely. He could sleep because His trust wasn’t tied to the storm at all! His peace wasn’t contingent on a “quick fix”, a healing or the calming of a storm, necessarily. Jesus fearlessly trusted in God’s Love! He had faith in God’s power and knew that no storm was a match for God, but there is something else! I wonder… could His calm have had anything to do with the fact that Jesus had nothing to lose? Live or die, was there only One thing He really desired, One thing that mattered to Him, One thing that could possibly have stolen His peace… and One thing He knew could never be taken from Him?!!!

From all eternity Jesus knew the Love of the Father! How could anything else possibly compare??? Think of it! Jesus had existed in perfect union with perfect Love for absolutely forever. He knew this Love could not be shaken by any storm, and THAT is all He NEEDED to know! The boat could sink. He could drown… Or not! It wouldn’t change the one anchoring Truth that the love of God would always be His.

“Father, help me to know Your love like Jesus did! How I want to exist in this life convinced that there is only One thing that really matters, One thing that will calm my fears, and One Love that can never be taken from me. And, when I find myself in the midst of the storm, please oh please, draw near and help me to trust in Your amazing love. Amen.”

How about you?

Are you in the midst of a storm? Are you afraid? Do you feel like God doesn’t care?

Do you know the love God? Do you want to know it more? Ask for more.

As you read this passage, watch Jesus. Be a witness to how God’s love impacted Jesus…His freedom from fear, His peace in the midst of the storm.

God loves you and always will.

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4 thoughts on “One Thing

  1. Amen! How we all long for that One love….and it is always there in front of us. Thank you for the blogs….only 355 more and you can publish a devotional for each day of the year!

  2. Judy,
    I am enjoying your blog so much!
    I have been asking the Lord, “how can I possibly walk and/or walk beside someone in deep suffering, pain, and grieving without letting the “storm” overtake us. Your words are so soothing to my soul this morning. The Deep love of the Father is the one and only thing that can sustain us and allow us to rest and walk thru any storm . Im learning this truly requires Holy Spirit transformation of a fully surrendered heart to trust Him no matter what. Jesus help me to surrender my fear, that I may trust and rest in Your perfect love which is the opposite of fear and the One Thing I can count on always! Amen!

  3. This is truly inspired stuff. Isn’t it always true that we start to panic, worry or get anxious when we take our eyes off the one thing. I am diggin this blog!!

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