The disciples were in a small barge in the middle of a lake when they were
menaced by a vicious storm.
Their first reaction? "We're going down!"
"The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we're going down!' He
got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all
was calm. 'Where is your faith?' He asked his disciples. In fear and amazement
they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water,
and they obey him.'" (Luke 8:24-25 NIV)
When they awoke their Master, Jesus rebuked the winds, as well as their lack of
faith.
So often, just like Jesus' disciples, we also face tumultuous times. "But, but…"
you stammer, "what am I supposed to do when storms of life are threatening to
put me down?"
The answer is found in God's Word: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not
sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are
you not much more valuable than they?" (Matt 6:26 NIV) and "If you make the Most
High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is my refuge - then no harm will befall
you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels
concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their
hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Ps 91:9-12 NIV)
Are we making "the Most High" our dwelling? Do we feel so completely comfortable
in His presence, that we can call Him our "home"?
If we are not, we still need to ask ourselves why we so often listen to the evil
one. His only objective for us is for us to go down to our destruction! Remember
Jesus' temptations?
"Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point
of the temple. 'If you are the Son of God,' he said, 'throw yourself down.'"
(Matt 4:5-6 NIV)
What a contrast to our loving Heavenly Father Who only aims to lift us up!
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:10 NIV)
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up
in due time." (1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV)
There is only one problem with being lifted up. In order to be lifted "up", you
must first be "down"! We have to come "down" from our haughty attitudes! If we
are too full of ourselves, we cannot be lifted up at all! During those times we
think the world of ourselves, but in all reality we have fallen prey to the evil
one and He is succeeding in his plan to bring us down, down, down! What goes up,
must go down!
This reminds me of the multitude of pigeons at the piazza della Signoria in
Firenze. Most of these birds are down on the pavement, surrounded by towering
humans who they need to pay attention to! Otherwise they may be stepped on by
mistake! (Ouch! This sure would give a nasty headache!)
While down on the ground, however, these pigeons seek abundance, and they don't
let the towering human ogres deter them in the least. They are too busy
partaking in their abundance!
And that abundance happens sooner or later, whenever people stretch their hands
out with food. Never once have these pigeons not been provided for! They are
literally lifted up in the provision of caring people.
There are other pigeons at the piazza as well, and these never get fed. These
are the ones who fly down from surrounding buildings. Why don't they get fed?
Because the tourists duck out of the way of birds flying in from above!
Let's learn from the pigeons! When we are down, let's look forward to being
lifted up! All that is required is true humility and well-placed faith. God will
come through for us each time!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.