A Furious Squall

     Dollhouses were spread across the living room rug like a sprawling town -- dinky cars were arranged in rows and ready to race at high speeds.  Voices chattered happily while sharing plans of what should happen next in their game, when suddenly an argument erupted in the midst of their pretend town.

     "Give it back!  It's mine."

     "No, it's not, it's mine."

     "I only let you borrow it!"

     My heart fell in sadness.  It's so hard to listen to the ones you love tear each other apart.  And I don't enjoy the energy it requires to rectify the situation either. 

     A verse flashed back from my morning's time in the Word . . . in Mark 4 where we hear the story of Jesus in the boat with His disciples.  Verse 37 sounded like our house, "A furious squall came up."  That's us, I thought, that describes these moments with my children.  But even better, it reminded me of the solution too.

     Only two verses later, we find Jesus standing up, saying, "Quiet! Be still!"  And we're told it became completely calm!

     How do we get that power flowing in our homes and with our children?  To go from furious squalls to complete calm?

     We learn to invite Jesus into the midst of our storms.

     I'll be honest ~  I'm sharing more from failure than success here, but over and over, when He's been invited, I've seen Jesus move in the midst of our stormy seas at home. 

     I need that picture in my mind: Jesus speaking to our tossed boat (house) and watching those waves (arguments) become as calm and quiet as a still night.  Jesus can be that real in our moments of tension and frustration but He MUST BE INVITED!  Come Lord Jesus, into our homes and calm squalls of life.

"Now may the Lord of Peace

Himself give you peace at

ALL times and in EVERY way."

II Thessalonians 3:16