By Kingston Ogango
Read: Mark 4:35-41
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed – 2 Corinthians 4:8
I had been praying for a while that some design work would come my way. The season was dry.
Not even my colleagues in the industry were meaningfully occupied. When I least expected it, I
received an email that was followed by a flurry of phone calls. One of my old clients had a launch
coming up and needed a report designed and printed in 4 days. The President of his organization
was flying in to grace the event – a big event indeed.
Here I was, definitely excited that my prayer had finally been answered but yet fearful that the
deadline was too tight. I decided to take the plunge. No sooner had I decided to take on the job than
I noted the many bumps in my path. First, The word document he sent to me was about 200 pages
which either had some pictures missing or was of very low resolution. Secondly, the fastest printer
needed a minimum of 3 days. All in all I realized that I needed to burn the mid night oil if I was to
deliver the job.
I hatched a quick plan, cancelled all my engagements and embarked on the design work. As the
hours ticked by, I was excited because I was making progress and assured myself that I would pull
through. At about 3:00 am, exhausted and looking to finish in an hour’s time, my machine froze.
Nothing was moving, the mouse curser was not visible and the keyboard was not responding. After
waiting and hoping that my computer would resume, I decided to restart it.
When the machine came on, all that displayed was the manufacturer logo with a question mark.
This was unusual. It had never happened before. I restarted it once again after disconnecting all
cables and Internet connections but the result was the same. I could feel anxiety building. Time was
slipping by fast and my heart pulse increasing. After several hours of trying, whispering several
prayers, binding every force of the enemy – Nothing was abating.
It was now 8:00 am I finally connected with the technician. I expected a quick fix. I was
disappointed when he advised me to drop it at the workshop for a proper diagnosis. At this point,
my heart was almost sinking under the pressure of deadlines! As quickly as I could, I drove to the
service center. After the machine was opened, the verdict was fast and clear, the hard disk had
crushed and required replacement. This was not happening! My heart eventually sunk!
The disciples in Luke 5 were faced with a similar challenge when the storm beat on the boat and
they began to sink and their hopes fading. All they could do is cry out “Teacher, don’t you care if
we drown?” Jesus was fast a sleep, seemingly unconcerned by the predicament. But when He got
up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves “Quiet! Be still!” At 3:00 pm my machine had been
restored, though my document was corrupt and needed to begin a fresh.
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Jesus
is the master of the sea and even his disciples wondered in great amazement, “Who is this? Even the
wind and the waves obey him!”

Lord help me to know and understand even in the greatest storm you are still in control

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