David Brainerd, a man expelled from Yale, a washed up minister, a man afflicted with hypochondria, and a naturally gloomy disposition, was a man mightily used by God to reach the Indian nations of colonial America. Yet he only lived 29 years, 5 months, and 19 days. He only ministered for four short years in that time. What caused Jonathan Edwards to take his diaries and publish the Life of Brainerd in 1749? The book based on that one short-lived life and extremely brief ministry was used of God to send Henry Martyn to India, William Carey called Edward's Life of Brainerd "precious and holy. David Livingstone of Scotland and Andrew Murray of South Africa and Jim Elliot of 20th century America all looked upon Brainerd as a man who inspired them to give their lives to missions. Why has David Brainerd's life, so short, so sickly, and a ministry so brief been used so powerfully of God?

Advertisement

Piper answered:

"The answer is that Brainerd's life is a vivid, powerful testimony to the truth that God can and does use weak, sick, discouraged, beat-down, lonely, struggling satins who cry to Him day and night to accomplish amazing things for His glory."4

The Lord rested in the back of the boat because He was resting in God's sovereignty. The Lord would multiply His ministry. The Lord God would bless His quiet talks with His disciples and cause them, through the Cross, to be read the world over.

And, my beloved, God will sanctify even your sorrows to use you as His instrument in His kingdom.

A third important lesson we learn from Jesus in the back of the boat is this:

III. Our relationship with the Father is not determined by our incessant labor, but His steadfast love.

The Savior could sleep in the storm for He knew that His relationship with His Father was not determined by His constant labor but by His Father's constant love.

There are some beautiful Psalms that reflect this truth. Listen to these and just let the wave of peace come over your heart right now:

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116:7

I think that many of us, especially in the evangelical community, are tired. We confess that we are saved by Christ alone and we rest in Him, but we live like the future of the world depends on us. I am not discounting the truth that God has given us a glorious task to do—to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth—but I am saying that when we have done our all, we can leave it with the Lord.