By Sharon Mager, BCM/D Correspondent
COLUMBIA, Md.–Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware President Robert Anderson told General Mission Board members, “You are not alone. Sometimes things in life get heavy, but you are not alone.” Anderson referenced Luke 8: 22-25, the story of Jesus calming the sea.
“God has a destiny for us and we don’t know what’s all yet to come. But when God is directing, it can only be exciting,” Anderson said, adding that He has specific things for us to do and that may require launching out and going to the other side.
Storms can come from anywhere, even areas where we feel most comfortable, Anderson said. Little did the disciples know that this storm would arise. They were doing their usual activities with familiar people. Jesus was tired. He was tired frequently, Anderson said, “just like we can be in ministry.”
But, “God has promised to be faithful!” Anderson said.
Many of you are heading into storms, coming out of storms, or, “I bet some of you are in the midst of storms. I just want you to know that God is with you and He said…let us go to the other side.”
Nothing is without a divine purpose by a loving, all caring God. “So when the storms come, and they break your heart, and the ship goes down, just remember, there is someone else in the ship. It’s Jesus!
“We can. Look back at Calvary and see a Savior whose arms are wide open saying to you and saying to me and all of us, ‘I care. I love you. We’re going to the other side,” Anderson said.
“Don’t let the storms dictate your faith or determine what we will be as a convention, as a body of believers who call ourselves Southern Baptists. They make us the kind of men, women, pastors, preachers and leaders we need to be.
“Thank you that you will never forsake us…for all you are doing in the convention…thank you for the storms we’ve had…they’re making us better and that means they’re making us more like Jesus,” he prayed.