The Best Place
In a boat in the storm with Jesus is a safe place. Anywhere with Jesus is the best place. A year ago, our youngest son was deployed to the Middle East. Fear rose up in the heart of this mother as I thought of all the “what ifs”. As we said our goodbyes, John-David said to me, “Mom, when I am in the center of God’s will, I am in the best place-it may not be the safest, but it is the best place. And Mom, I must be in the center of God’s will-right where He wants me- or else I wouldn’t be here!”
As recorded in Luke 8, the disciples were in a boat intending to cross over a lake. Jesus was in the boat with them. He was very tired after a full day of healing and ministering to crowds of people so He fell asleep. Awhile later, a storm came up suddenly as often happened on that lake. The disciples became very frightened as the boat began filling with water. They ran and woke Jesus crying “Master, Master, we are perishing”! It says in this part of Scripture, “Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased and there was calm. But He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’” In other words, Jesus, God in human form, was asking the disciples why they would fear when He was with them. Later, the disciples marveled and said to one another “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and the water and they obey Him?”
Who, indeed?? None other than GOD Himself!! There is a lesson here for those of us who know Jesus as our personal Savior. In a boat in the storm with Jesus is a safe place. Anywhere with Jesus is the best place. It is the best place because, whether we live or die, we belong to the LORD and He cares about us. Now, the journey through this life will not always be safe and gentle. There may be storms along the way, but He has said clearly that He will never leave us nor forsake and one day we will be together with Him for all eternity.
So, John-David was right-even if he were to be in the middle of a gunfight in Central Baghdad (he never ended up in one for which we are so grateful!), he was in the best place because, as a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ, as a born again child of God, anywhere with Jesus is the best place!
