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“Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. They came up to Jesus and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” But they were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?” Luke 8:22-25

I love roller coasters. At an amusement park, I could hop from one coaster to another, all day, no issues. Sadly, the older I got, the less my new inner-ear status could handle…so, currently, I can do maybe one roller coaster ride (no loops allowed) over an entire day. As fun as being on the rides are, it’s even amusing to observe other people’s experiences. Many people squeal with delight and joy, leaning into the ups, downs, and twists. Others ride sans fear or delight—kind of a “been here, done this” attitude (especially if they’ve ridden that particular ride numerous times and know with certainty exactly what to expect along the way). For some, overreactive terror assails them, even though they are safely strapped in and know it will end in a mere 75 seconds or so—it’s as if their whole life is out of control. But the coaster’s path, speed, and duration are completely planned and orchestrated by the maker.

And when the ride is over, and the train slows to a complete stop, we’ll all get off together. Same ride, vastly different experiences.

Reading the event in the Bible when Jesus calms the storm reminded me of the roller coaster experience. In Luke’s account, Jesus says, “Let’s cross to other side of the lake.” It’s as if He said, “Strap in, boys, we’re going for a ride.” (He knew exactly that a storm was coming, by the way, its arrival and duration.) Not that this is recorded in God’s Word, but let’s use our sanctified imaginations…the wind and waves rise up…maybe James and John are whooping and wooing like bronco riders, familiar with the raging waters…Peter, also a lifelong fisherman, knew the danger and held on tightly in expectation of the boats ups and downs…perhaps for Nathanael and Philip, though, trepidation turned to terror as the storm escalated—that’s when they went running to Jesus, crying that their death was surely imminent.

Same boat, vastly different experiences.

Now, it’s not recorded if all of the disciples on the boat responded the same way, or if they had different reactions to the storm as imagined above. But the facts are clear: (1) Jesus initiated the journey across the water, and He said they’d get to the other side; (2) They’ve seen Him always do what He says; and (3) Jesus was right there with them—and He was sleeping peacefully.

For believers, life is like being strapped into a roller coaster. There will be anticipatory climbs, joyous mountaintop moments, twists and turns, and rapid descents that elicit a sense of impending doom. Through it all, beloved, we don’t need to fear circumstances or man or the enemy (Psalm 118:6; Hebrews 13:6; Psalm 56:11; Matthew 10:28). After all, the facts are clear: (1) Jesus initiated our journey with Him—He saved us through His victory and will complete the work He started (Philippians 1:6); (2) Starting with the very miracle of our salvation, I know that we can all look back to see promise kept after blessing given; and (3) Jesus will never leave us or forsake us—He’s sitting right with us on the ride, through every stomach-dropping, heart-pounding, laughter-exploding moment (Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20).

Ultimately, sweet friend, our ride is in the hands of the Maker. He has designed our unique adventure purposefully and perfectly for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28-30). So, let’s choose to trust Him in every season…and simply enjoy the ride.

“Lord, give me the sweet perspective of faithful trust and confidence, so that my fears are relieved, by trepidations calmed, and my joys are stayed on You—whatever the rollercoaster circumstances of my life.”

 For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Ministry