Thursday.. Here it is again. What do we do?

Thursday... Here it is again. What do we do?

There is a verse in Matthew 9 that caught my attention this morning. It is verse 1 (NLT) and this is what it says, "Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town." And then I thought back to a couple of verses that I read yesterday in chapter 8. Verses 23-24 says, "Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping." And here he is getting into another boat.

Now these four books that tell the story of Jesus here on earth are not biographies. Each one of them has a different audience they are written to and they each have their own purpose so these two chapters may not be telling his story in order but let's say it is. Jesus had gotten into a boat and there was a fierce storm but that experience didn't keep him from getting into another boat.

2023 may have been a fierce storm for you but you now have the choice of getting into the boat of 2024 without being afraid and the experiences of 2023 holding you back.

In that first story in chapter 8 Jesus was asleep and verse 25 says, "The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!'" Maybe that is how you felt in 2023. I mean, you were desperate and afraid and in no way do you want to go through that again.

Now Jesus response to them in verse 26 is maybe his response to us in how we are looking at 2024 after an horrible 2023. It says, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" It then tells what he did, "Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm."

And then in verse 1 of chapter 9 it says, "Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town." That other boat experience didn't stop him from getting back in a boat.

Yes, he is Jesus and yes he is the Son of God and yes he has power beyond measure and if you have a relationship with him and he is living in you then he will be with you in this new year. You have survived because of him and you will survive again and again because of him so go ahead and get into the boat of 2024 with him in it with you.

The response of the disciples in chapter 8:27 is, "The disciples were amazed. 'Who is this man?' they asked. 'Even the winds and the waves obey him!'" And he can be with you no matter what happens in 2024 if you have him with you. So don't be afraid. Even your little faith can do wonders with him in your boat this year. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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