1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: Life Audio Hella. Thank you for listening to your Daily 2 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: Bible Verse, the podcast that examines one verse each day 3 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: to learn more about God and Tis will for us. 4 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jennifer Slattery, and after this short word 5 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, we'll continue with our lent series God 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: Meets You in the Wilderness with a discussion on Luke 7 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: eight twenty three. Today's Bible verses Luke eight twenty three. 8 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down 9 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped 10 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: and they were in great danger. Sometimes our wilderness seasons 11 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: look less like wondering in the unknown and more like 12 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: seeking shelter in a life threat threatening Midwestern storm. For me, 13 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: that's when I most need God's assurance and often when 14 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: he feels furthest away in Nebraska springbring's beauty mixed with fear, 15 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: evoking chaos. Hit by an average of fifty tornadoes annually, 16 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,199 Speaker 1: We've learned to move quickly when the siren sounds. Many 17 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: understand the anxiety of lying in the basement with jugs 18 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: of water, candles, and matches nearby in case debried traps us. 19 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: Familiarity reduces fear when that high pitched squeal shatters the night. 20 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: But when I first moved here, it evoked instant, paralizing panic. 21 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 1: One evening early in my marriage, I called a mentor, 22 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: terrified and desperate for prayer. After listening, she calmly asked 23 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: what my husband was doing. Exasperated, I respond, watching television 24 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: like nothing's wrong. I understand the disciple's response. When they 25 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: found themselves in alight threatening situation, and Jesus, their leader, 26 00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: seemed oblivious to the danger he'd actually fallen asleep. Two 27 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,559 Speaker 1: would have cried, teacher, don't you care if we drown? 28 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: Have you been there, stuck in a crisis with no 29 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: visible means of escape, feeling abandoned by the only one 30 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: able to rescue you. Maybe that's where you're at now. 31 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: If so, may this biblical account bring clarity to your confusion, 32 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: assurance to your doubt, and deepen your faith in the 33 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: one who remains with you in life's chaos. First some context, 34 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: this occurred relatively early in Jesus's earthly ministry, and shortly 35 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: after selecting his disciples. These first entry Jews grew up 36 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: with the Old Testament scriptures. They knew about God's power 37 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: over creation. Their developing years were filled with stories of 38 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: how the Lord miraculously liberated his people from four hundred 39 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: years of slavery and oppression in the land of Egypt, 40 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: and faithfully led them for four decades through a literal wilderness, 41 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: providing for their every need. They knew of his promises, 42 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: heart and commands. Then came Jesus, the long promised Messiah, 43 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: God in human flesh, living among them, performing miracles before them. 44 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: I imagine if asked before that storm hit, they would 45 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: have confidently proclaimed their faith. But in the face of 46 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: imminent danger, those truths that felt so certain under clear 47 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: skies felt shaky when ominous clouds rolled in. I'm certain 48 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: that's why the Lord directed his disciples into the storm, 49 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 1: and they did indeed land in that space by his leading. 50 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: In the verse before today's he said, let us go 51 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: over to the other side of the lake, knowing the 52 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: storm was coming. Nothing takes Jesus by surprise. In other words, 53 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: the disciples obedience brought them to a place of crisis. 54 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: This means they hadn't done anything to cause their hardship. 55 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: When suffering comes, it's easy to fear we've done something 56 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: wrong or have disappointed God, and while he does use 57 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: adverse circumstances to nudge us back onto his path when 58 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: we wonder, because of Christ, we live each moment beneath 59 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: his lavish grace. He bore any punishment we deserve when 60 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: he died on the cross. Therefore, if we've trusted in 61 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: Jesus for salvation, we are, in each moment favored by 62 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: God and endowed with quote every spiritual blessing in the 63 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 1: heavenly realms. As Ephesians one proclaims, these are the truths 64 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: through which we must evaluate every challenge in crisis, intentionally 65 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: remembering that God is with us and for us. He's 66 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: always building our faith so that we can face tomorrow's 67 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: storms with less inner chaos and greater courage. Notice how 68 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: Jesus did this with the Disciples. According to scripture, they 69 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: encountered two violent storms. In the first, Jesus was with them, 70 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: although he appeared mentally absent in their moment of crisis. 71 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: The disciples responded, as God desires, They sought him, and 72 00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: he responded his stern but calm command in instantly stopped 73 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: the wind and waves. The second storm came much closer 74 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: to Christ's crucifixion and directly following the death of John 75 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: the Baptist. The Disciples probably began their crisis with intense 76 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: questions and doubts, the greatest of which why didn't God 77 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: intervene and save this powerful man of God. Exhausted, sad, 78 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: and likely wrestling with severe hits to their faith, they 79 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: climbed into the boat again at Jesus's command and headed 80 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: across the Sea of Galilee. Only this time Jesus wasn't 81 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: with them. Instead, he sat atop a mountain, presumably with 82 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: his eyes fixed on his beloved disciples, not only knowing 83 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: the storm would come, but he probably saw their desperate 84 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: fight for survival, presumably for hours in the dark, the cold, 85 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: the terrifying. But God never left their side, and he 86 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 1: didn't let them drown. Instead, he came to them walking 87 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: on the water in the middle of the storm. This 88 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: supernatural display of power would awe anyone that said, scholars 89 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: suggest this would have hit the Disciples in a much 90 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: deeper place due to their Jewish history. You see, to 91 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: the first century jew tumultuous water was seen as symbolic 92 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: of chaos and demonic influence. You might find it interesting 93 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: that Jesus used the same word in the Greek to 94 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,479 Speaker 1: still the storm, as he often did when casting out demons. 95 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: Based on this, some suggest he viewed the storm as 96 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: demonic interference. This makes sense, as our enemy, the devil, 97 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: is always looking for ways to trip us up, defeat, discourage, 98 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: and terrify us. But that's also what makes this account 99 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 1: so powerful, because it demonstrates Christ's authority over all the 100 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: forces of evil. This means that while the devil can 101 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: taunt humanity, he can only terrorize the believer by permission. 102 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: As greater is he who is in us than he 103 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: who is in the world, we have authority in Christ 104 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: to resist, stand firm, and fight against darkness with truth. 105 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: Notice also, Jesus made his presence known before providing relief 106 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: because he God Almighty, our shelter, strong tower, and impenetrable defense, 107 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: is our relief, our salvation, and the one who holds 108 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: all power over all things. The terrifying included. We're all 109 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: caught somewhere between life shores, between where we began and 110 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: our final glorious and eternal destination. It's normal to feel 111 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: afraid when storms hit mid journey. It's normal to feel 112 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: abandoned and alone, But God uses those same experiences to 113 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: remind us that's not true and never will be the case. 114 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: Our Savior remains forever by our side, ready to still 115 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: the wind and waves. Lent encourages us to follow Christ 116 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: into the wilderness, into life storms, trusting him to meet 117 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: us and transform us. There. Perhaps take time this week 118 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: to prayerfully read Luke chapter eight, paying special attention not 119 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: to the storm, but to the power of the one 120 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: who commands it, the one who secured your salvation through 121 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: his death and resurrection. Ask God to reveal his power 122 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: and his heart for you, and to remind you of 123 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: those truths the next time you find yourself rowing against 124 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: life's waves. And if you're currently in a wilderness season, 125 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: I also invite you to listen to Carol my conversation 126 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 1: in the Faith Over Fear podcast episode titled how God 127 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: Brings Good through Wilderness Seasons, which dropped on April thirtieth, 128 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four. If you want to listen and have 129 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: difficulty finding that episode, reach out to me through my 130 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: website linked in the show notes, and I'll send you 131 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: the direct link to the wilderness content. And now let's pray, 132 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 1: Holy Father, we are experiencing this Lenten season with intense 133 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,439 Speaker 1: gratitude for all you have done for us, us, all 134 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: you have given us in your son. Thank you for 135 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: the power you exerted on our behalf. Thank you for 136 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: the gift that you provided, a gift that must have 137 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: hurt so deeply. We can't even fathom what it was 138 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: like to watch your son on the cross for us. 139 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: We can't fathom the depth of love that would move 140 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: you to do so. We can't fathom the depth of 141 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: love that would motivate Christ to willingly sacrifice himself on 142 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: our behalf. And we are so grateful that the moment 143 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 1: he did so, he shattered, He defeated the forces of darkness. 144 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: He made a spectacle of them when he died on 145 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: the cross. Remind us when we are in life storms 146 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: that he reigns in all and over all, that we 147 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: have authority in him, and he holds all authority. Give 148 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: us wisdom to navigate life storms. Well. Help us to 149 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: turn to you when we're afraid, overwhelmed, when we feel 150 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: so like we're like we're faltering. Thank you that you 151 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: never shame us. You don't get frustrated with our frailties. Instead, 152 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: you invite us to come, always to come, and to 153 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: find shelter, to find relief in you. You're always present, 154 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: all knowing, all powerful, eternally loving, oh so faithful, and 155 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: we praise you for that. It is in the name 156 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: of Jesus Christ, our Savior, your Son, that we pray Amen.