I close my eyes and all I can see is Jesus in the distance walking towards me with his hand reached out. Waves are violently crashing all around me and dark clouds have formed as the winds become turbulent almost blowing me over but when I look at Jesus I can't help but notice how calm He is. He has this huge smile upon His face. He is at peace. He is steady. The winds around Him are calm and the waters below Him are so still. The harder I try to get to Him the more the wind begins to pick up and the more violent the waves become beneath me and around me. But I'm determined. With every step I take towards Him I begin to slowly sink into the water but I'm determined. So I keep pushing forward. I notice the harder I try the further I seem to be from reaching Him. But I keep my eyes on Him and as I sink a little further and drudge on through I feel like the weight of the water that's gotten on my clothes has begun to weigh me down further making it even harder to stay above the waves but I keep pushing forward. By now I feel like I have been trying to reach Him for what seems like hours now and in the process I have become wore out and tired. I begin to slow down my steps. I look forward and I can see Him in the distance, still with the same demeanor as before. He is unfazed and still at Peace. His hand is still reached out for me with that same big smile on His face. I am determined. " I'm coming Lord! ", I yell. But the waves are getting stronger and stronger and the winds begin to be almost unbearable. By now I am give out. I begin to weep because all I wanted was to reach my Savior. By now hopelessness, doubt, and discouragement begins to set in. I then lose my footing. As I'm fighting to keep my head above the waves I finally decide to just let Go. I close my eyes and say I love you Lord and i slowly begin to slip beneath the water. When suddenly I look up to see a hand reach down to grab a hold of mine. It's Jesus! He lifts me up above the waves and on top of the water. The wind is now completely still. As I look out further I can still see the storm going on but where we stood there was such a stillness. In fact we were standing right in the middle of the storm. My clothes were dry. Where I felt so weighted down I now felt so light. I said," Lord what happened? I was sinking and you were so far away!" He said, "my beloved all you needed to be was still. The enemy made you think I was so far away from you and that the journey was just too long to make when the truth was it was just an illusion. You see I was right beside you this whole time and you were already right where you were supposed to be. He made you tired and wore out so you would give up and give in. It wasn't until you surrendered that I reached down to pull you back up. My child if you just keep your eyes on me, trust that even when things around you seems so difficult, so uncertain, so unsteady, or even falling apart that I am right here with you being your peace, being your protection, being your provision, being your strength, and I will not let you sink. Remember it's not always what it seems." I said, Yes Lord! He said, "take my hand and don't let go. Even in moments where you can no longer see me but can only just hear my voice. I will never leave you." I said, " I trust you Lord." Then He began to walk through the storm, only this time He had a hold of my hand, and we were walking through it together.
Isaiah 43:2 New King James Version 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
Painting/Picture by artist: Yongsung Kim https://havenlight.com/products/the-hand-of-god-by-yongsung-kim
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