As soon as the meal was finished, [Jesus] insisted that the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side… Matthew 14:22a MSG
Where Is God?
Last week, we talked about how it seems that God sometimes asks us to do the impossible. Like when Jesus commanded His disciples to feed a multitude of hungry people even though they were in middle of the boonies, seemingly far from any source of food. Jesus solved that problem by miraculously feeding the 5,000+ hungry stomachs. But the disciples were given no chance to absorb that lesson before Jesus issues another challenge – He insists they immediately get in their boat and row across the Sea of Galilee to Gennesaret. And they were to leave Jesus behind. They were on their own. It looked like the Good Shepherd had led them into the valley.
You can imagine how the disciples might have reacted to His command! Could Jesus be abandoning them? How could they learn from Jesus if He wasn’t around? Perhaps they were thrilled to leave Jesus to manage the unruly crowd but hadn’t thought about what would happen when they reached Gennesaret without Him. Unfortunately, they found that they were rowing against the wind, so their journey would be much longer than normal and be exhausting. They wondered what Jesus was up to.
Perhaps you’re having similar feelings about our current troubles. Where is God in all this? What is God up to? Has He abandoned us while the wind is blowing against us, the journey is exhausting and the destination unseen? How are we to behave as we face the challenge that Jesus has apparently thrust upon us?
We’ll be discussing these issues this weekend at Trinity Downtown. If you’re rowing against the wind, come hear how you can recognize Jesus when He walks by. You can watch the “live stream” of our Satellite Service at 5:00 pm on Saturday, or our traditional service on Sunday at 8:15 am by clicking here. You may also participate by watching either of these services “on demand” by clicking here. During this stressful time, come be encouraged. Come feel the warmth and joy of His Holy Spirit and hear songs that will bring peace to your heart. Come ready to digest His words of truth and be filled with the surprising love of Jesus so you can share that love and peace with everyone!
You’ll recall that our adult Bible studies and all Sunday School activities will remain online through at least September 6th. Click here to see the details and how you can participate online.
Don’t forget that we now offer TWO weekly opportunities to participate in “drive-up” Communion. On Wednesday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and Saturday from 9:30 am to 11:00 am, you can stay safely in your car while participating in an Order of Confession & Absolution, Communion and Prayer hosted by one of our pastors. If you wish to participate in either of these worship opportunities, please reserve your preferred time slot by calling Stefanie at 713.224.0684. She’s available to take your call from 8:30am – 2:30 pm each weekday.
During this time when each of us faces challenges we would not have expected six months ago, God has given us the opportunity to hear His Word and demonstrate His love to our family and neighbors. Instead of worrying, let’s cast our cares and worries on the strong shoulders of Jesus.