Us Only

"Let us go over to the other side."

~ Mark 4:35

Christ said that.

Notice the "us" in the simple statement.

Disciples, men hand-picked by Jesus, being told to climb aboard. With Him.

Christ said, "Let us go over to the other side" - not "to the middle of the lake to be drowned." (Daniel Crawford; Streams in the Desert by Cowman; June 3 reading)

He didn't intend for the boat to capsize and the sea to swallow them all whole. Jesus wanted his disciples to come with Him.

To come with Him.

Join Him.

As in "you and Me". Together boys. Come on fellas, get in the boat. With Me.

I don't reckon God wants us in the boat with Him so that He can take us to the middle of the lake and turn us out. Maybe He wants us in the boat so when seas get rocking and waves get nasty, we will cling to Him.

We must let go of that which threatens to drown us. Unforgiveness. Guilt. Shame. Sadness. Wounds. Lies.

How about this? Let me know what your prayer needs are on your journey to being healed and renewed. As you row your boat, I will be there too. And when the sea seems roughest, that is when you must heave all that junk overboard. Toss it to the sea. Drown it.

And leave it there.

Now don't you see that by the time you reach the other side, you will be free! Your hand, your heart, your mind... Grasp God. Cling to Him. Fill your empty places with His healing. With His renewing.

“Do not be afraid; only believe.”

~ Mark 5:36

Christ said that too.

Notice the "only" in this simple statement.

Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, being told to "only" believe. The man was a ruler. Of a synagogue. And he had to be told where to put the focus of his soul.

To believe in Christ, not the words of the world. Not the words of even his friends. But to believe.

Only.

If Jesus told you to do this, what is it that you would retain as your belief?

What about all that other stuff (Unforgiveness. Guilt. Shame. Sadness. Wounds. Lies.)? It is all darkness, so let it meld into the background. Let it become nothing of focus.

Let it go.

Turn your soul dial. A bit more. Come on, some more. There. What do you see?

Only Christ?

Us Only

U-under God's wing

S-sit and sing

O-omnipresent, alpha to omega

N-no other does reign

L-lean into Him

Y-yes you, now fiercely cling

Let us humbly pray:

Father God, bless each one reading this today. Fill each one with Your Truth and love. Help each one to cast off their burdens and cling to You. Lord, I am trusting in You to bring them to the other side of the sea, to a place filled with forgiveness and redemption and healing and renewing. In Jesus' name, amen.

* This piece was also posted at Aspire to Lead a Quiet Life--although it is in its entirety here.