Dear Church Family,

Last week, a news story caught my attention. It read more like a Sci-Fi movie script than a real-life incident. Apparently, an AI system broke the established self-contained boundary, called a digital sandbox, that was made to keep it isolated. It escaped the isolated network and went on the internet, hacking another company’s systems. The story was a chilling reminder that we are not always in control as much as we think we are.

In this situation, systems were built, safeguards were designed, and plans were made to keep everything under control, but despite all the care and planning, something happened beyond their control.

Life is often like that. We may plan, prepare, and attempt to arrange our lives as carefully as we can, but sometimes we encounter situations beyond our control. In our attempts to control our schedule, save money, monitor the weather, manage our health, and try to prepare for every possibility (all of which are not bad things), we can deceive ourselves into quietly trusting our plans more than the God who rules over them.

In preparing for this week's message in John 6, I found a vivid picture of this struggle.

After Jesus fed the five thousand, the disciples entered a boat and began crossing the Sea of Galilee toward Capernaum. Jesus was not in the boat with them. As darkness fell, a strong wind began to blow, and the sea grew rough. The disciples were experienced fishermen, but skill and familiarity could not calm the storm. Their planning and experience fell short of their needs…then they saw Jesus walking on the sea.

John 6:20 tells us that the disciples were frightened, but Jesus said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid”. Jesus gave them something far better than a science lesson on storms or a lecture on better planning; He gave them Himself… “It is I.”

The disciples felt out of control, but Jesus never was.

That is the comfort of God’s sovereignty. It does not mean that storms won’t come or that following Jesus will cause us from ever feeling afraid. It means that no storm or circumstance will separate us from the One who will never forsake us. Simply stated, He is never overwhelmed by the events that overwhelm us.

Perhaps you’re in a storm now. Whether it is a storm of finances, a health issue, a relationship struggle, a work challenge, or any other storm that is making you feel like your boat is being tossed about out of control, the invitation of John 6 is not to pretend the waves are small, but to look for Christ in the midst.

He may not calm every storm immediately, but He will never abandon us during life’s storms. Finding out that we are not in control is not bad news. It is there where we learn that He is in control. The world does not rest upon our ability to anticipate every danger, solve every problem, or keep every part of life safely contained. It rests beneath the sovereign rule of a faithful Savior.

In the storm is when we can hear Him say, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

Our peace is not found in controlling the storm. It is found in knowing the One who walks upon it.

Loving you all,
Michael