IS HE IN OR OUT?

Matthew 14:32 – When they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

There are times in our lives when we travel without Jesus in our boats. Jesus is gracious to us on such occasions and shows us the importance of having Him in our lives and activities all the time. At times we think we can make it all by ourselves. We tend to separate our lives into the two compartments of the secular and the sacred. In our secular life we often keep Jesus away and go the way of the world. We can definitely go a long distance without Jesus in our own strength and attain many temporal things in life which will all pass away. Sometimes we go on our own because we cannot take Jesus into the secular things we do which Jesus would not approve. It is possible to keep Jesus out of a field of education which would take us away from God. Employment which doesn’t give us a minute for the Lord has to be examined whether Jesus is in it with us. There are jobs which are in forbidden areas. Our investment in portfolios forbidden in the Bible will not have Jesus in it with us. Any of our activities which doesn’t glorify Jesus, whether it is music, entertainment, sports, politics or even ministry will not have Jesus in it with us. Some start or partner with businesses which are forbidden by Jesus and so they cannot take Jesus with them in that boat. We often think that we are gaining treasures and fame because of our businesses, education, jobs and relationships, but we must make sure to choose that which have Jesus in it. If we practice things which Jesus will not approve, we cannot expect Jesus to be our partner it. Then when the storms and wind come, we might go through struggles and intimidating circumstances which prevent us from going forward. In such situations, Jesus comes to remind us that He is not in our boats. As we learn our lessons from such experiences and invite Jesus into our boats, we will see that the wind dies down and our boats become places of worship.

Dear reader, it is important for you to see if Jesus is in everything in your life. The winds and the storms that blow on your boat may be your opportunity to examine why Jesus may not be in it with you. If Jesus is not with us in our education, employment, business, ministry or relationships, it is time to change our choices to please Him so that He will come in. He will be with us always but He may not be in all that we do for selfish gains. The storms and the wind which blow against us should open our eyes to see if there are areas in our lives which Jesus doesn’t approve. It is also a time for us to make Jesus a partner with us in all that we want and do. He will come in at our invitation to take full control of our lives. His presence will calm the sea around us and the wind will turn off. A life without Jesus in the boat is a life that is heading towards danger. All that we gain without Jesus will be lost forever. It will only be a mirage which will give us a false sense of achievement. Jesus comes to the scene of our greatest battles in life, take us out for a walk on the troubled water as He did with Peter, and demonstrate what He can do for us and with our lives. He will come in to our boats to navigate us towards our destination. Today Jesus is near us as we go through storms and wind which are a result of our voyages without Him in our boats. Let us today shed all that does not have Jesus in it and travel with Him in all that He wants us to have in our lives. Let us crave for all that He wants us to have and be willing to pay the price to accomplish it.

Philippians 3:7 – But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Thought for Today