HH, Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div
“And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41
Before we ponder what Jesus is teaching us in this incident with his disciples, let us have a brief geography lesson. The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills having very steep valleys, which create a funnel effect when the wind rises. Because of this, even today, severe storms can escalate very quickly in this region. One day you may be able to visit that area and may have the opportunity to experience a storm if you are willing to cross the lake.
Beginning with verse 35, we see that toward evening, after a long day of teaching the crowds from the boat, Jesus indicates that he wants to go to the other side of the lake. Some others follow him in their boats. While they are on the lake, a storm arises – a particularly fierce one. And I want you to notice that these experienced, professional fishermen are terrified!
Have you ever come to a time in your life when the “storm” was so great, so heavy, that no matter what wealth of experience you had in life, you see that you are about to be overwhelmed – you are about to drown. Suddenly all your confidence seems to evaporate and you are terrified. And to top it all off, Jesus is asleep in the boat! In the storms of your life, has it ever seemed to you that Jesus must be asleep? Why doesn’t he do something? And if there is no immediate answer, we are tempted to terrible anxiety or anger or despair.
Look at what the disciples do. They go to Jesus and call his name until he wakes up – then they berate him in their terror: Don’t you care if we die?
Have you ever been pushed to that desperate point?
What is the storm in your life today that needs some attention? Have you considered the downward spiral that you are heading? Have you taken a moment to reflect on the things you were taught by your godly parents and in Sunday school? Each of us can write a book about the storms that have happened in our lives over the years. Have you forgotten the things we were taught by our parents and in Sunday school? Have you forgotten that Jesus is near waiting to hear you address Him and ask for some help?
Yes, brethren, clergy, brothers and sisters the storms are not over until Jesus awakens in our lives. Until we hear the comforting words “Peace be still”. Hallelujah
What’s the storm in your life where you think there is no hope? Turn to Jesus – literally turn to Jesus – and, as the disciples did, cry out to God for help. Don’t stop until he “wakes up” and hears your plea.
