Category: Devotionals

Devotionals

Straining at the Oars

Loring Schultz

“He saw the disciples straining at the oars.” Mark 6:48a NIV

            Have you ever felt abandoned from the Lord, especially in tough times? You may be facing difficulties at your work place with 8 hour days are turning into 12 hours days and no relief in sight. You’re studying for a college degree and can’t keep up with the assignment load. You’re a young mother with a houseful of children all wanting and needing your attention. There are yet many other tough time scenarios we can apply, just pick the one that fits you best. But rest assured the Lord has not abandoned you, in fact He always has His eye on you.

            Jesus’s disciples were put in a situation where it appeared to them they were abandoned. Jesus sent them out ahead of Him by boat to Bethsaida across the Sea of Galilee, while He spent time alone in prayer with His Father. What should have been a relatively short trip was turning into an over 8 hour trip with constant wind not in their favor. The wind was carrying the boat towards the center of the lake instead of maintaining a straight course one or two miles off shore. Imagine what thoughts would have been going through the minds of the disciples. Perhaps the same thoughts we have in strenuous times.

            The Bible explains to us Jesus saw the difficulty His disciples were having and also when He first saw what was happening. “Later that night, (when evening came) the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake” (Mk. 6:47-48) ‘When evening came’ was sunset around 6pm. Jesus did not come out to them until dawn early the next morning. He came out to them walking on the water.

            During your long struggling difficult days never lose sight that our Lord Jesus never loses sight of you while ‘straining at the oars,’ but He is watching and will be there with the help we need. You’re not abandoned. Learn to put your trust in Him for He sees, He hears, and He’ll be there.

Devotionals

Enter the Light

Loring Schultz

“The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130 NKJV

            When entering a dark room, the first thing we do is turn on a light. If we enter a room we haven’t been in before, we search for the light switch using the limited light illuminating from outside the room. In either case, when the room has light, we can now move around and conduct our business.

            There are many dark rooms we enter in life. Some are daily decisions to be made and others major decisions made only occasionally in our lifetime. All have the uncertainty in the shadow of what’s ahead. If only there was no shadow at all with enough light to enter, we would be confident we’re making the right move.

            The Psalmist wrote, ‘The entrance (or unfolding) of Your words gives light.’ The Bible contains everything we need to know in making those decisions of uncertainty. We need light to shine through the shadows of both the daily decisions and the life changing ones. Seeing that we make decisions daily, it stands to reason, the light always needs to be on. Daily reading of Scripture is a must for every Christian if we are to be in His will and make the right decisions.

            Our Lord will not abandon us to make our own decisions without His guidance and for that we should be thankful. He has given us His Word in clarity so that all could obey it. The Psalmist also wrote, ‘It gives understanding to the simple,’ and that means all of us. God’s Word is the light which illuminates our ability to understand His message to us, most importantly for salvation, but also for those decisions to be made in the shadows of a dark room.