While coloring this picture, I began thinking of the story when Jesus calmed the storm.
“And they went and woke Him saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’ And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then He rose and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:25-26).
In reading through this, the Lord reminded me of Romans 8:37-39:
“…in all these things we are more than conquers through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The Lord reminded me of something that should be rather obvious, but that is often forgotten, something that we often have trouble actively believing. It’s that the Lord is your Father and He wants the best for you. “…and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18). He will go to every length to protect you, but it is also your life and decision to listen to Him. If you rejoice in Him, He will rejoice in you. If you run to Him, He will run to you. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8). Nothing you do, think, say, or believe will stop Him from loving you. And when you’re struggling He wants to hold you, if you allow Him. The men in the boat were terrified and knew that they were about to die. However, when they ran to Jesus, He calmed the storm and saved them all. This is what the Lord loves. When we are struggling, we run to Him. We wake up Jesus during the storm so He can guide us; or we even curl up next to Him on the boat for comfort and protection.
