Luke 8:22-25 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

Over the last ten weeks I have used words to inspire my devotionals. In truth one could say I took the words out of context. They were fitted into a framework to convey a message. Set alone words can and often do take on the possibility of new meaning apart from the context of the letter. Some would say I took liberty that was not mine to take. They might go even so far as to call it false teaching. OK. I get it.

Have you ever been listening to a sermon and one word struck a strong memory in you? Has an image, a sound, a smell or even a touch taken you away from the sermon and placed you in a place of wonder if not understanding? Revelation is of God and no one can deny God His will in shedding truth into a mind that is seeking Him and all that He can do to help us.

The wonder of God’s revelation moments do not have to be in context to be truth. It is my hope that we open up to the possibility that God can and does work in and thru the scriptures according to His will and not just our expectation of context.

Isaiah 55:7-9 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

And that is in context.

Luke 8:22-25 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

Ten in this series, seeking ten devotionals. Our focus falls upon “they being afraid wondered”.

I will quit here with ten. I won’t wonder if there are more.

Do you find it strange that after Jesus calmed the storm that His disciples were still afraid? Did that little subtlety escape you? I see things like this and I wonder about them. I think about my own humanity and try to relate to that circumstance. The scriptures are full of examples, wisdoms, teachings, and warnings. If you cannot relate the words to something in your life, personal or impersonal, how can you make the word come alive? Words in the abstract have less impact on behavior and character.

I relate to their fear in this way.

Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Falling into the hands, not hand, but hands indicates total control. I can remember a time when I lost control to the Holy Spirit. I became sore afraid. Then He released me. The next time it happened He saved my physical life from a horrible accident, if not death itself. I was shocked, amazed and grateful. Fear was replaced with other emotions. The third time it happened I was mildly aware, and felt very fortunate, I praised and worshipped Him in Spirit.

1 John 4:18a There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: