The Man who Stilled the Water

Only when you’ve lost everything, and there seems to be no hope, do you fully understand what it means to put your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the water. Only then do you truly experience the saving grace and salvation of the Man who calmed the sea. You come to understand that the salvation He offers is not only spiritual, and for the world to come, but also for all insurmountable situations and practical problems suffered on this earth.

Sometimes we kick and fight a door that will not open until we come to the end of ourselves, and give up in hopeless dejection. Only then do we turn to our Saviour for help, and only then do we realize that this Man from Galilee has the power to open doors that were impossible for us or any other man to open.

Many times the door that God opens for us is not the one we would have chosen, and for us to pass through it means we have to give up our precious comfort zones that give us safety and security. The situation can be aptly compared to that of a mother eagle kicking her unwilling chicks out of the warm nest in order to teach them to fly. Once out of that comfortable nest they were initially so reluctant to leave, they discover the greater wonder awaiting them outside. Likewise, most human beings find change disturbing and often vehemently resist it, so there come times when God has to deal with us in a way similar to that of the mother eagle with her offspring. Once we have been set free from the limitations of our comfort zones and securities, we discover and experience God in an amazing new dimension, our faith is stretched and we are able to trust Him more than ever before.

If the eaglets had remained in their nest they would have experienced warmth and safety but they would never have learnt to fly. They would never have discovered the world outside, or the potential inside of themselves enabling them to be part of it. The same applies to us. When we remain in our comfort zones we feel safe and secure. However, we will only discover the greatness of God and our potential in Him if we of our own accord break free from our confining boundaries, or if we allow Him to set us free from the limitations of our false securities. Peter had to get out of the boat, and walk to Jesus in order to experience the miracle of walking on the water. If he had remained in the safety of the boat he would never have known it was possible to accomplish such an astonishing feat.

All things are possible for those who believe and put their trust in this Son of God who is the great I Am. He will never turn away from, or ignore those who cry out to Him in anguish and fear when their fruitless efforts fail, and all their securities crumble. What a great and awesome God we serve who loves us with such deep and eternal love. He is, and must be, our only security because He alone is faithful and worthy of our trust. Throughout history He has proved Himself to be the omnipotent Rock of ages and He hasn’t changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever and He will see us through our darkest hours and bring us into His glorious light.

All He desires is our total dependence and trust in Him, however, there are times when these attributes are severely put to the test—for instance when our salvation is not immediate and we find we have to wait for it. That waiting period is undoubtedly a perceptive test of our endurance and trust in Him. The secret is that if we are able to depend totally on Him in a formidable situation, He gives us the strength to wait until the end—and be saved by His mighty hand. Irrespective of how daunting, grim or impossible a situation may seem He will certainly give us ultimate victory. We need never hesitate, doubt or fear to put our hand in that strong, faithful hand of His.

The lyrics of an old song “Put your hand in the Hand” that was sung by Elvis Presley and many others in the 1970s come to mind and still ring true:

Put your hand in the hand of the man

Who stilled the water…

Put your hand in the hand of the man

Who calmed the sea…

Take a look at yourself,

And you can look at others differently,

By puttin’ your hand in the hand of the man

From the Galilee!

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© Lorna Kirstein

http://kirsteinonline.com

The original lyrics and music of “Put your hand in the Hand” were written by the Canadian songwriter Gene Maclellan.