Jump Start # 3411

Matthew 14:27 “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

The other day I went to my common place for lunch. I eat there often. There wasn’t much of a crowd and there was several people standing around the manager and something was going on. I ordered my food and sat down. An older couple at the next table were upset. I heard her say that she had been waiting more than an hour for their food. The manager came to talk to them. There had been a major order for take out and their order had been shifted down behind that. He gave them a certificate for a free meal. When their food came, the lady loudly said that they have been waiting for an hour. The soup they brought to her was cold. So they brought her two more cups of soup. Her drink was watery, so they brought her a fresh drink. She wanted crackers and I think they gave her the whole box. Grumpy and complaining was her spirit. Another manager came and talked to her.

As I was watching this, I saw a great lesson about leadership and discipleship. What do you do in a crisis? On sunny days, when everything is running smoothly, we have all the answers. But what about a storm on the sea in the middle of the night, as the disciples faced? Or, the certain death of your child, as Jairus faced? Or, the prison doors shut, as Peter faced? Or, you are trapped by an approaching army as Moses and Israel faced? Or, you are running a business and supplies do not come in and customers are cranky? Or, you are overseeing a congregation, and on Sunday morning the preacher calls in sick?

We know what a crisis looks like. It’s that phone call in the middle of the night telling you that someone dear to you has passed away. It’s losing your wallet in a crowded public place. It’s a hospital bill that you don’t know how you will ever pay. It’s a young friend who tells you that he is thinking about ending his life. It’s losing your job without any notice and now you don’t know what you will do. A tornado sweeps through the area and your house takes a hit.

Crisis—the Bible is filled with the hearts of men and women who were anxious, worried, fearful and near panic. What would they do? The woman with the issue of blood. She was getting worse, not better. She was broke. What would she do? The father whose demon possessed boy often fell into fire or into water. What would he do?

And, for us, what do we do, when there is a crisis?

First, you don’t throw out what you know. This happens so many times. When things are good, so is our faith. But toss a good crisis our way, and we wonder and question God. We lose all sense of character and hope. We become angry, upset and ugly with others.

There are things that you know are true. They are true whether it’s daylight or midnight. They are true whether the skies are clear or storms are gathering on the horizon.

• God is still on the throne—even through your crisis
• God still loves you—the storms of life are not an indication that God has left you
• God wants you to trust Him and stay close to Him– even when you do not feel like it.

Knowing those things helps. Funerals. Emergency rooms. Cancer clinics. Those words change our world, but they must not change our faith.

Second, God’s people are near. Don’t forget that. Especially during a crisis, lean upon others. Let others do the little things so you can focus upon the important things. Let others take care of your yard. Let others bring food. Let others run errands for you. God’s army is mighty. Let them know so they can pray. Walking alone through a crisis when you do not have to is no way to go. God made us to need one another. You have been there for others. Now, it’s your turn. Let others help.

Third, pray. Pray often. Pray hard. Storms end. The crisis passes. The problem goes away. You are left with memories and a heart that has been hit by these things. Will the storms make you stronger or weaker? Will the storms bring you closer to God or push you further away? Will faith win or will Satan win?

And, as hard as it is to do this, get down to the church house and worship. You need the encouragement. You need to see the Lord through Scriptures. Your presence helps others, and others will help you. Don’t use your crisis as a reason to skip services. I’ve seen brethren who had a loved one die in the afternoon and that evening they were at the church house worshipping. Amazing.

If God is going to get us through the crisis, then we need to be where God is. He is in His word. He is in worship. He is in the hearts of His people. His ear hears your prayers. Don’t expect God to help you when you abandon Him and start blaming Him.

Leaders need to talk about how to handle a crisis. The death of a preacher. Storms that wrecked the church building. Worship when there is no power. A sudden death of a member. Walking through a crisis. Keeping our eyes on the Lord. Great lessons to be learned.

Our verse today, Jesus walking on the water, brings three powerful statements. First, take courage. Second, it is I. Third, do not be afraid. That’s the answer to getting through a crisis. Remember those three statements. They will help you.

A couple had to wait for their food. They finally got their food and I got a wonderful lesson about storms, troubles and crisis.

Roger