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Keep Your Hands and Feet Inside the Boat

When I was a teenager, we went to Great America every summer. I still remember the safety announcement for the Yankee Clipper flume ride, as you were getting in the boats, while you waited to go up the incline for all the fun. "Keep your hands and feet inside the boat at all times." I thought of this recently as I read Mark 4:35-41.

When Jesus says, "Let us go across to the other side" in v. 35, the disciples go with Him. They are close to Him, in the boat with Him when a "great windstorm" comes. Notice that the storm comes at night when it’s dark and after a day of ministering when everyone was tired. The waves are filling the boat with water. The disciples are afraid. They fear for their lives. So what do they do?

The disciples go to Jesus calling out for help. They aren’t concerned about bothering Jesus. The disciples don’t consider jumping out of the boat and swimming for it. They don’t try to get in a different boat thinking it might be a better fit to survive the storm. Rather the disciples call out to their Lord for help.

This seems simple enough. The disciples were in serious physical peril. Of course they called out to Jesus. But what are you doing in the current storm in your life? Are you in the boat with Jesus? Have you called out to Him? Do you trust Him to steer through the storm?

If you aren't near Jesus, turn to Him today. When He says, "Let us go," get in the boat and go with Him. You are either in a storm or about to be. The best position in the storm is in the boat with Jesus. Keep your hands and feet inside the boat at all times.
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