Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.  Frantically they woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are going to drown?”  When he woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, “Quiet down!”  Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm”
(Mark 4:37 – 38, New Living Translation).

I ran into a traffic jam on my way back from a Durham Bulls baseball game a few weeks ago.  Initially, I was cool, calm, and collect.  Patience is a virtue, and I considered this a chance to display my skills.  But the longer I sat in the stop-and-go processional, the more brake lights I saw ahead of me, the more eager I became for an escape route.  I didn’t want to relax and wait it out; instead, I wanted the sweet chariot to swing low and carry me home!

Have you ever felt like that?  Have you ever been in a trial so long that you couldn’t wait to get out of it?  Maybe you’re waiting for your money to stop acting funny.  Maybe you’re waiting for a promotion, raise, or recognition on your job.  Maybe you’re just waiting for the devil to leave you alone.  If you feel like that, then I can relate.  I know what it’s like to want to be delivered, not just now, but right now!

Amazingly, I found comfort in Mark 4:35 – 42, my favorite story in the Bible.  Again, this is the story when Jesus fell asleep as the disciples faced a storm on the sea.  As I read this story closely, I noticed the root of their impatience.  They had a conflict between what they heard and what they saw.  Jesus said, “Let’s go to the other side,” and I’m sure they expected smooth sailing.  Instead, of peaceful waters, they got a torrential storm.  The longer the storm lasted, and the longer Jesus slept, the more eager they became to escape.

Think about your life, and I’m sure you’ll agree: it’s easy to be impatient when your life doesn’t line up with the Word.  Think about how you feel when you believe God for peace and prosperity, and in return you get pain and suffering.  Consider how you’d feel if you believed God for health and wholeness, but all you got was more sickness.  When our lives don’t line up with the Word, it’s easy to get eager for relief.

So, what is the way out when you can’t wait it out?  The disciples discovered that when they talked to Jesus, He could make everything OK.  They asked if He cared; He woke up and calmed the storm.  The same solution is applicable today – if we ask Him for help, then He’ll come to the rescue.

And old hymn says, “Now let us have a little talk with Jesus, you can tell Him all about your troubles.  He will hear our faintest cry, and He’ll answer by and by.”  In other words, a little talk with Jesus can make a big difference in your life.  So talk to Jesus; He is the way out when you can’t wait it out!

But soon a fierce storm arose.  High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water.  Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion …
(Mark 4:37 – 38, New Living Translation)

A few nights ago, I wrote something in response to an inspirational email I composed: “I’ve got GOOD company in a crisis.”  Just think about it for a second, and I’m sure you’ll be encouraged.  David said it like this, “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.  He rescues them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17, New Living Translation).

As encouraging as it is to know that God is our friend in the fire, it equally as easy to forget it.  It seems like we forget He’s near when we’re in trouble.  We act a lot like the author of “Footprints” – a poem about a man walking along the shore with Jesus.  When the scenery was serene, the man saw two sets of footprints.  But as soon as the storm came, he only saw one set of footprints and assumed they were his.  To his surprise, the footprints belonged to Jesus, and He had carried the man through the storm.

Our tendency to panic, even when Jesus is near, reminded me of the disciples on the ship.  They also thought they had to weather the storm alone because Jesus was asleep.  But, He never left the ship.  Again, He’s a present help in trouble.  He was so present that they only had to go a few feet to wake Him up.  And, when He got up, the storm bowed down!

The same God who carried the man through the storm on the shore and rescued the disciples on the ship is still available in adversity today.  He promised to never leave or forsake us, so we always have GOOD company in a crisis.  So if you’re in trouble, call on Him.  He’s a friend with the patience to listen and the power to fix your problems!

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.  Frantically they woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are going to drown?” (Mark 4:38, New Living Translation)

Have you ever read something and thought, “That will never happen to me.”  I used to every time I read Mark 4:35 – 41, the Bible’s version of the movie “The Guardian” (co-starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher).  Here’s a quick summary: Jesus says let’s go, the disciples obey, Jesus falls asleep, a storm arises, and the disciples panic.  For some reason, I just couldn’t see myself panicking with Jesus nearby.

I used to think that until 9.12.2008, the day before gas prices were expected to rise because of Hurricane Ike.  Many people rushed to the gas stations that night to beat the anticipated price increase, and so did I.  But I had a slight problem – I really needed gas!  My gas needle was flirting with empty, and my car kept reminding me with the “low fuel” notification.  I was in a pinch, and I needed to fill up quickly.

So, I drove to a local gas station for what I thought would be a quick experience.  Here’s where the nightmare began.  I pulled into the gas station, and all the pumps had “Out of Order” signs on them.  Not good!  So, I left, and fortunately, the next gas station was across the street.  They had gas, but there was a long line of cars waiting to fill up.  Not good!

I’m a little worried now, but not hysterical, because the next gas station was less than one minute away.  I pulled into this gas station with great expectations – no line of cars and a reasonable price for 9/10 of a gallon.  But when I looked at the pump, I noticed this sign: “Sorry, out of gas.”  Immediately, I pressed the panic button.  What if I don’t have enough gas to crank my car?  What if I can’t find a gas station close by?  What if I run out of gas on my way to the next gas station?  Who would pick me up if I get stranded?  Is my transmission shifting differently?

In my panic, I realized I’m just like the disciples on the ship with Jesus.  That’s right, I said it: guilty as charged!  Although I had embraced Psalm 37:18 – 19, I couldn’t find it in my time of need.  By the way, Psalm 37:18 – 19 says, “Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive a reward that lasts forever.  They will survive through hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough” (New Living Translation).

Isn’t it amazing how near fear and faith, our polar emotions, really are?  The disciples had enough faith to leave the shore, but fear gripped them in the storm.  I had enough faith to embrace Psalm 37:18 – 19, but fear erased it as my gas needle approached empty.  It’s funny, but fear and faith are often tenants in the same apartment – our minds.

The disciples and I don’t just share a tendency to panic.  Thankfully, we know how to request God’s assistance.  They went to Jesus in person; I went to Him in prayer.  They made it safely to the other side; I made it safely to a gas station.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson.  I’m a lot like the biblical characters I often criticize.  Maybe that’s why God left their stories on record, “… to teach us, (to) give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises” (Romans 15:4, New Living Translation).