| Cross Words: In His Presence |
Richard Prow ~ rpcrosswords@gmail.com
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“Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’
He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm” (Matt.8:23-26).
My brother and I are both carpenters/general contractors. The occupational similarities stop however with the job descriptions.
He has sought no other career choice since the age of 6. I have spent a lifetime trying my hand at all that life had to offer. His gift for carpentry came naturally. I had to work at it. He simply just knew how. I had to learn it through repetition and mistakes. His calling was motivated by passion - he couldn’t do anything else in life. My calling into construction was motivated by poverty - I simply needed money.
I have developed a love for building over the years and in my humble opinion I’ve even become quite good at it. Yet I still feel inferior when my brother is around. In all my years I’ve yet to meet anyone with his knowledge and his capabilities. He doesn’t hold it over my head though. He is always willing to teach, to step in, and to offer advice when I find myself over my head.
I feel more confident when my brother and I are on a job site together. I gain a sense of infallibility when his presence is added to mine. There is nothing the two of us cannot accomplish. Especially when he is brandishing his tool belt!
Imagine the newfound confidence the disciples received after watching Jesus perform the miracle on the water. Just by Him being in the boat, the storm subsided. They learned that day, that when Jesus is close by, nothing would be impossible.
Are you attempting to get through life without Christ in your midst? You may even know Him, but is He in the boat with you so to speak? Without Him life is ravenous and unpredictable. With Him we can keep our heads above water. Without Him, no matter how strong we think we might be, our fears and inadequacies will eventually rise up to the surface and come crashing down on top of us. With Him we can sail into uncharted waters.
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