Excitement in the boat, part 16: the destination

Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. (Luke 8:26 NASB)

At the beginning of this passage, we saw that Jesus, on an ordinary day that was just like all the other days of His preaching/teaching tour, called the disciples to join them in the boat. The disciples went with, apparently, no knowledge of the destination. Along the way, a storm erupted and they found themselves in a fight for their lives. Before they knew it, they were brought to a deeper understanding of Jesus by the miraculous  intervention He performed when He stilled the storm. 

The story could end right there, and it would be a compact vignette with the powerful truth of God's authority and might. It was not, however, the end of the boat ride, nor of the story. When the storm was stilled, the journey continued. 

At last, they came to the country of the Gerasenes, the destination all along. The storm was just a stopping point along the way. We, too, have a destination at the end of our lives which is far different from the region of the Gerasenes, but sometimes we are so distracted by the storms of life that we forget that the storm was not our destination. On the sea of life, the other shore, our heavenly home, is the destination. That whirlwind in the midst of the sea is just a temporary pause along the way. 

We can well imagine how badly those disciples wanted out of the storm while they were in its midst. Once it was over, did any of the disciples regret going through the storm? After what they had seen, it is not likely. For the rest of their lives, it was a story about Jesus and His power that they retold time and time again. Rather than regret, they relished the time in the storm because of what they saw Jesus do on their behalf. 

Have you experienced a storm of life? Are you in the midst of one now?  Keep your eyes on Jesus and call out to Him. The Master Over Wind and Waves can handle any storm that comes your way. On the other side of the storm, you will be so surprised. The story of the storm will be like a monument to grace that you will retell for years to come.