On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”– Mark 4:35-41
Take note in the above scripture (you can also read the scriptures before) that Jesus and the disciples had just left from Jesus preaching to a crowd.
Jesus had taught the Parables of a Sower, The Lamp on the Stand, The Growing Seed and Mustard Seed – all of which are about growing in faith and relationship with God. Not only was Jesus teaching the crowd, he was teaching his disciples as well.
It’s important as a believer to practice the teachings of God in our own lives. It does us no good to hear the Word and not do the Word.
In the scripture above you read that while on the boat there was a terrible storm. The disciples were obviously frightened. Jesus was sound asleep sleeping peacefully on a cushion.
Really Jesus? They’re on a boat, the waves and winds are crashing against them. The boat must have been rocking viciously back and forth and taking in water and Jesus was sound asleep.
But this is when the disciples should’ve been practicing the very message Jesus taught them probably not even an hour ago.
There was a storm in their lives and they weren’t prepared for the test. Because Jesus was sound asleep the disciples assumed he didn’t care about their safety.
“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” the disciples asked in verse thirty-eight.
A better way of the disciples looking at it should’ve been that Jesus had peace that they would make it to the other side. They had nothing to fear.
In essence, Jesus was teaching the disciples another lesson while he slept peacefully – that they should have peace in the very presence of Jesus. Their Savior. However, Jesus got up and immediately calmed the waves and the wind simultaneously.
When storms arrive in our lives, because they will, we must trust God to make everything steady. We must choose Christ to overrule all that concerns us.
And as the scripture referenced above shows us, even when our faith is lacking, God’s got us!
- Peace In The Storm - February 12, 2018
- I’m Not Perfect, No One’s Perfect - May 10, 2016
- When You’ve Suppressed Your Feelings For Too Long - April 26, 2016
