Day 10: Lord of the storms
“And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
Mark 4:41
A couple of Saturdays ago we went for a walk. It was blowing a gale, it was freezing and the rain was lashing down. The boys were barely coping, but I was loving it. I love being out in crazy weather, so long as I’m prepared for it!
There’s something about extreme weather that I find exciting, exhilarating even. Whether it’s snow bringing motorways to a standstill, or waves crashing against a prom, I savour the power of the weather and the lack of control we have against it. It always reminds me that I’m not God.
One day, Jesus took his disciples across the Sea of Galilee. Some of his disciples knew these waters well having spent their lives fishing there. The sea was like a huge basin, 682 feet below sea level, and surrounded by mountains. It was prone to sudden storms, so folk who fished there knew how to navigate, or avoid, the worst.
One of these storms whipped up, and battered the boats carrying Jesus and his disciples. The language used to describe the storm is violent, like an earthquake fiercely ragdolling them. It was so bad that even these seasoned fishermen thought they were going to die. Imagine the chaos, the fear, the frantic battle to control this wee boat.
And all the while, Jesus slept.
He was obviously exhausted, fatigued from constant ministry, and needing to catch up on some Zs. It’s a picture of Jesus’ real humanity, and yet total lack of fear. He needed rest, so he slept unfazed by the carnage surrounding him.
His disciples saw him out for the count, and it left them questioning if he really cared. They woke him, he got up, said nothing to them, but spoke to the storm:
“Silence! Be still!”
The same voice that spoke creation into existence called that raging creation to settle down. He showed his cosmic power over all creation, then questioned the disciples:
“Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Jesus tied fear and faith together. They were afraid because they did not trust. The storm exposed what they really believed. They doubted Jesus’ care. They doubted his divine power. They were left asking: “Who then is this?”
Jesus is the one who led them into the storm. He was with them in the storm. He calmed the storm, and will one day calm all storms.
He’s the one who came to take the full storm of God’s wrath by dying on a cross.
He’s the one who will take his people to be safe and secure forevermore.
Life might batter us from time to time. It’s a common human experience to go through times where it feels like we’re being smashed in every direction by the storms of life. It could be parenting, health, anxieties, work, addictions, relationships, or any number of other things that leave us weary and fearful. They all serve to remind us that we are not God. They all remind us that we need to be saved from that final storm of God’s wrath more than anything.
Whatever we face today, each and every difficulty, small or large, reminds us that we need the Gospel. We need salvation. We need Jesus. But what a difference it makes to then know Jesus as we go through life’s storms.
Jesus brings us into these storms. Jesus will be with us in these storms. Jesus will one day calm all storms. It might feel like he’s snoozing, but he’s not, he’s in control. He is God, we’re not. Will we trust him?
Passage for today: Mark 4:35-41
A thought to remember: Jesus is sovereign over every storm.
A question to ask: What does it look like to trust Jesus through whatever we’re facing today?
A song to sing: Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor