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Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – In the Fourth Watch

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Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. —Matthew 14:25

In the Gospels we find a story about Jesus sending His disciples across the Sea of Galilee. As they went on their way, they hit a huge storm that was so severe, they thought they would drown.

Meanwhile, Jesus had gone up on a mountain to spend some time in prayer. No doubt He could see His disciples, but they couldn’t see Him. And they were thinking it was all over.

Then we read that “in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea” (Matthew 14:25). Why did Jesus go to them in the fourth watch? Why didn’t He come right away, when the storm got bad? Or why didn’t He at least go out to them during the second or third watch? Yet Jesus went to them in the fourth watch—at the very end, effectively—after they had been battling the waves for up to nine hours.

Why do you think Jesus waited so long? I think He wanted them to exhaust their resources and realize there was no way out but through Him. And sometimes life goes that way. Something traumatic happens. Something that seems unbearable happens. We say, “How am I going to get through this? If God doesn’t come through for me, I am dead in the water.”

Actually, that is not such a bad place to be. As a friend of mine named Alan Redpath used to say that when we get to the end of ourselves, we get to the beginning of God.

Have you come to the end of yourself? Maybe, like the disciples, you’re experiencing an epic storm. Maybe you’re facing a crisis or a hardship. And maybe you’re thinking you won’t get through it. I have good news for you: Jesus always shows up.

 

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Greg Laurie – Bring Your Flowers Now!

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My granddaughter Stella loves to pick flowers. She will come to me and, with a smile of her beautiful face, say, “These are for you, Papa!” It always warms my heart.

There is a story in the Bible of a woman named Mary who understood what Jesus meant when He said He was going to die. Though it somehow did not seem to penetrate the minds of His own hand-picked disciples who had spent their every waking hour with Him for three years, Mary understood.

One night, Jesus and His friends were gathered at the house of Simon in Bethany. She listened as the Lord quietly spoke to the audience gathered. But with intuition inherent in women, she saw and heard something else. She saw the lines etching His face, and read aright the problems reflected in His eyes. An inner sense told her that the disciples were wrong in expecting a kingdom. The Master meant what He had said, and said what He meant: He was literally going to Jerusalem to be crucified.

She could not grasp something so terrible, but accepted it because He said it. She had to do something. She would not wait to give some floral tribute at His funeral. She would bring her flowers now! She would give the very best she possibly could!

So Mary took some very expensive perfume that was probably a family heirloom and poured it on the head of Jesus. Some were angry at her and criticized her for such a waste, as the street value of such a perfume was around $25,000. But in Mary’s mind, nothing was too good for Jesus, and she wanted to show her love to Him.

Jesus was impressed and even commended her for it. He said “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Matthew 26:13). Nothing is ever wasted if it is given with a right heart for God’s glory.

That’s a good thing to remember about people you love—people who have impacted you as a Christian. Don’t wait until their funeral to say it. Say it now.

Go to them, or write them a letter or an e-mail or even a text and tell them what they mean to you—your husband, wife, child, friend, a spiritual leader—because you never know when you will have your last conversation with them.

So bring your flowers now, not later.