MARK 4:35-41 – “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”  And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 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?” 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. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 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?””

THEME OF THE DAY: HUSH, BE STILL.  If one wants to really feel small, overwhelmed, and afraid, go to sea.  Get away from land and encounter a storm at sea.  The power of the world’s oceans, crashing waves over a ship’s bow, and being tossed about like a little rag doll humbly brings a person face to face with the power of God. And it doesn’t matter how experienced a sailor one might be.  In today’s scripture, most of these guys were seasoned seafaring men, yet, they were brought to their knees, paralyzed with fear, in this storm. Even to the point they thought death was certain – “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Our Lord’s response to both the storm and His disciples reveals much about His heart towards His fearful people. We may take away instruction, even rebuke, and comfort from His dealings with them in our “storms” in life.

First, notice what the Lord did not do at first – correct His fearful men.  He could have said, “Why did you wake Me up?  Have you forgotten Who I am?  And why would you think you are going to drown?  I just told you, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men?’  Am I going to go against My promise, take you to sea, and drown you?”  Instead, the Lord took away the cause of their fear – the storm.  Jesus looks out over the raging sea and shouts, “Hush, be still” and as all creation obeys the Creator, immediate calm results.

Stop now. Picture us being on that small boat.  Water rushing into it.  Waves higher than the height of our boat.  Terror. Dread, then suddenly, nothing.  The sea went from a raging danger to calm like glass.  And Jesus does this by His Word.  As we go through many “storms in life” seeking to drown us with anxiety, stress, fear, and great discomfort, cry out like the disciples did for the Lord’s help.  His Word calming the literal seas will also calm our emotional seas.

Then the Lord confronts their unbelief – “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”  This is a rebuke, but it is gentle.  It doesn’t need to be harsh.  And His instruction is piercing with two questions – “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”  He makes them think, and it is all about them forgetting Him – “be afraid if I am with you?  Where is your faith in me?”   It will be that way for us as well in life’s storms.   When we falter, when we stumble, Jesus comes to our rescue ready to help us get our eyes back on Him.  After all, that is the key to successful Christian living – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

PRAYER:  Lord, I praise You for Your power in my life to calm my fears, quiet my anxieties, and be near to me.

REFLECTION:  God’s Word is powerful to save us and calm all our fears, anxieties, and stress in life.