• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Bible Reflection A Matter of Perspective

A Matter of Perspective

Posted on August 18, 2010 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment


Storm at sea

The disciples lacked Jesus’ perspective on the storm that surrounded them. Luke 8:24 tells us:

And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

The disciples are frantic. Verse 23 tells us that the boat was filling with water. Several of the disciples grew up fishing on this lake and know the capabilities of boats in such conditions. They are certain that they are going to drown.

In spite of all this, Jesus is sleeping in the boat.

The difference between Jesus and the disciples is perspective. Jesus knows they will not drown and is relaxed in that knowledge. He is in control and does not need to be stressed. He is calm enough to allow his body to rest.

I, limited by space and time, struggle to see God’s perspective. I sometimes think that my circumstances will overwhelm me and eat me alive.

I am learning that I can spend my time complaining to God about my circumstances, or I can accept them as part of God’s plan for me. The difference in perspective effects how I approach God and approach others.

If I am aware of God’s love for me and that there is never a situation where he is not in control, I can then approach life with confidence that God will show me the path for today. He promises to give me my daily bread. God is then my rock and my point of reference.

When I fail to maintain this perspective, I then become a man-pleaser and look to others to gauge how I am doing. I can then be overwhelmed by my problems because I find that neither I, nor the people around me, are capable of calming the storm.


Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: boat, Christianity, Evangelism, God, Jesus, master, Religion and Spirituality

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Summum Bonum

The Church and Summum bonum

When a visitor comes to your church, what would they perceive is the summum bonum of your group? Does the visitor feel loved? Does the visitor see the work of God in the lives of the congregants?

A. W. Tozer

Tozer on Immortality

God has buried something deep within the soul of every man and woman. It is simply and profoundly a longing for immortality.

Division

On division in the church

The point I take from these verses is that we need to exercise caution when deciding to make ourselves distinct from the churches around us. If we are to be distinct, it is to be in our commitment to preaching and living out the gospel, a distinction that we should be happy to observe in the other churches around us. Any other distinction brings division rather than unity.

Power in Leadership

The problem with power

The problem with power is that those who seek it are often the ones least qualified to wield it. This is no less true in the church than in society at large.

God with us

A friend of mine who is a pastor sometimes says that he has no problem thinking that God has included him as part of the group plan, but he does have a hard time connecting with the thought that God has loved and included him as an individual. I can very much relate to this […]

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
September 2023
SMTWTFS
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
« Jun    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2023 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in