This is a prominent theme in the Sermon on the Mount: “Don’t be anxious. Don’t be fretful. Don’t be afraid. Just seek first God’s Kingdom and righteousness. Let God rule in your life. Trust God and things will fall in place for you.” What a promise!
The artist Rembrandt once painted a canvas titled “Storm on the Sea of Galilee.” It’s a remarkable work of art for two reasons. First, after all it’s a Rembrandt, a priceless masterpiece, a portrayal so real you can almost feel the spray of the waves and the movement of the boat. Second, this painting is striking for another unique reason. As you study the detail, you notice something unusual: There are fourteen men on the boat. Now, wait a minute--- weren’t there twelve disciples? You count again, and yes--- there are thirteen men, plus Jesus, on the boat---total of fourteen.
Gradually, your eyes focus on one particular figure. He is holding on for dear life. Suddenly, you recognize the face. It’s the face of Rembrandt! The artist has painted himself into the scene. He is experiencing the storm, and it’s frightful --- but the good news is: Jesus is there! Jesus is in the boat with him. Jesus will save him from the fury of the storm!
Beloveds of God we are going through a storm right now and some are worried whether we will get through it, but I declare to you today that in every storm Jesus is there. And if Jesus is in the storm I know that He will save us from the fury of the storm! The Apostle Paul expressed it like this: “I am ready for anything, for Christ is with me and He is my strength.” Do you have that kind of faith? Do you know that kind of trust?
A Pastor once described an interesting happening during the communion service in his church one Sunday morning. It was a small church, and the congregation had been instructed to pass the elements down the pew, with each person saying the words of administration to the next: “John, this is the body of our Lord given for you, John; this is the blood of our Lord shed for you.”
But on this day, one man in the congregation who was not especially liturgically minded turned to his neighbor, handed him the bread, and promptly forgot what he was supposed to say. He just went blank. After a brief but agonizing pause, he finally blurted out these words: “Harvey --- Hang in there!”
I’ve seen a number of different liturgies for the Lord’s Supper over the years, and I don’t really think the words “Harvey, hang in there” are in any of them. But the truth is that I can’t think of any better words to say when we are remembering Christ’s gift to us, His presence with us, His care over us. What better words could you say than those --- “Hang in there!” You can “hang in there” with rock-solid trust, and He will see you through. You can count on that! It’s a divine promise. I don’t know about you but I am going always choose “Trust over Worry.”
