What do you do when the storm hits?
Mark 4:35-41. Jesus had been teaching by the Sea of Galilee. Such large crowds came to hear him that he got into a boat and taught from it. Evidently he taught all day. When evening came he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Perhaps to get away from the crowds, but as they pushed off there were other boats that followed them. Jesus was exhausted from teaching all day so he took the cushion that was customarily kept under the coxswain's seat, laid his head on it and went to sleep.
They hadn't gone very far when a furious storm arose. The waves were so wild they were breaking over the sides of the boat. I imagine the disciples were bailing as fast as they could but they couldn't keep up with the amount of water that was pouring into the boat and it was nearly swamped. The disciples were afraid they were going to sink, so they frantically woke Jesus, shouting, "Don't you even care that we are going to drown?"
The scripture says, "When he woke up he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet, be still." NIV. The New Living Bible says, "Quiet down." There is no indication Jesus raised his voice. I envision him calmly lifting his head and in a matter of fact way saying, "Quite down," just as you might quiet a noisy child. The wind was no problem for him; it stopped immediately and there was complete calm. Then he said to the disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Jesus had told them they were going to the other side, but when the storm arose they began to doubt that they would get there. That's why Jesus questioned their faith. If Jesus says something, it will happen!! The whole event fill them with awe and they began talking among themselves,"Who is this man that even the wind and waves obey him?" They had seen Jesus do miracles and heal people but this really confounded them.
As we go through life following Jesus we are going to encounter some storms. I have no doubt that Jesus knew when they headed out in that boat that they were going to go through some wild winds. In another incident in Mark 6:45 the scripture says Jesus made them get in a goat and go to the other side and when they were a long ways from land a storm blew up. Did Jesus know he was sending them into a storm? I think he did. He will allow storms to come into our lives and sometimes he sends us into a storm.
We don't like those experiences but it's during those times that our faith is tested. It's when we see Jesus calm the wind and the waves of our life that our faith is made strong. I recently when through a storm I would not have chosen. My husband's health was taxed over and over, one thing after another for 1 1/2 years. I often cried out to the Lord, "How much more of this are we going to have to endure?" And I wasn't he one experiencing the pain!! I kept thinking we were going to come through the rough time and everything would be better as we had so many other times in our lives. But the Lord's idea of "better" and mine were two different things. He chose to take my husband home. I know that God does all things well, and in retrospect I know it was Ted's time to go. God is beginning to put all the pieces together so they are beginning to make sense. Ted is finally released from the awful pain that had been plaguing him and he has entered a place of perfect peace. All his storms have been calmed. I have been surrounded with the love and support of my awesome family and the family of God. During my times of overwhelming grief I have cried out, "Jesus help me." And he comes and pours in his comforting presence. He didn't say we wouldn't grieve, just that we would not grieve as those who have no hope.
What do you do when the storm hits? There is a song that says something to the effect that sometimes he calms the storm; other times he calms his child. Either way, God always brings peace.
Tomorrows Bible Reading - 1 Kings 4-5, Jeremiah 31, Mark 5
God is good all the time,
1 comment:
Lately I've been going back to "it is impossible to please God without faith" and your blog was a confirmation of what God has been speaking to me. We have to believe He knows better, and everything works together for the good of those who love Him.
Thanks for sharing, and I am praying for you!
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