Come, Lord Jesus

I recently read in the Gospel of John that the disciples followed Jesus into the ship, and
when a storm arose and the waves crashed over the sides, they were frightened and
called out to Jesus. Jesus calmed the storm.

In these troubled times which seem to me a storm, I’ve decided to trust in Jesus. Since
many years ago I followed Jesus into the ship, I’ve decided to let Jesus calm the storm
in me. I’ve decided no longer to be disturbed by our nation’s current events but rather
to let go of the anxiety and be at peace no matter who or what power on this earth
seeks to continue to divide our nation, because I trust our God to do as God has done in
the past, to be the redeemer of this world. Though we struggle with our differences in
our nation and only history will tell our story, I believe our God needs God’s people to be
instruments of peace. We are deeply divided and some of us are harshly critical of
those who puzzle us in their differing views. And this is all within the Church, and in
families, and among our best friends. And one soon morning we’ll wake to find our
nation likely thrust into another time of deep unrest. And what will we do? How will we
respond as peacemakers?

What I see is that throughout history God directs the faithful; God calls us to bring
peace on the earth. The Lord is with us whether in the lion’s den, the belly of a great
fish, or in the shackles and chains of imprisonment. I believe God purposes that we live
into the fullness of God’s loving grace toward one another and the world, that the faithful
are given opportunities to be witnesses of the transformational love of a living and
merciful Lord no matter the circumstances of our lives, no matter the state of current
events. I admit the state of our world is not one in which we would wish to pass on. We
are deeply flawed, there is much unrest, but we Christians are to be peacemakers. We
are called to love and pray for our enemies.

My mind is at rest because I no longer am in anxiety about our nation’s disturbing trials
but rest in the assurance that our sovereign God uses all things for good. I’m no longer
stressed or in anxiety for my faith is in our Lord not in humankind. We must continue to
pray for our poor nation and our leaders as we do for all across this lovely planet of
ours. As the waves come pouring over us, we can call out to the Lord to save us and
calm the storms that rob us of our peace. We must pray and ask. O dear Lord, deliver
us and bring your peace on the earth.

How do we live into our call as Christians in these troubled and unnerving days? Let us
show the fruits of our calling and love one another in spite of our differences because
God first loved us. Come, Lord Jesus.