Jesus calms the storm

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“A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. [Jesus] was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm. Then he said to them “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!” (Mark 4:37-41 CSB).

Isn’t it interesting how keen human beings are to assess physical danger, and to panic over natural calamities, wondering why God seems so disinterested toward the threat to their lives, while these same people very often are oblivious to the destructive forces that are at war with their souls, and oblivious to the dangers that threaten to destroy them spiritually? In that sense, the roles are reversed from the story of Jesus and his disciples in the stormy sea. Now they are the ones sleeping blissfully in the bottom of the boat, while the Spirit of Christ is the one trying to rouse them – attempting to shake them awake by His eternal Word, addressing them earnestly, “Awake! Awake! Don’t you care that you’re going to die?”

Many do wake up to the voice of Christ calling them to faith and repentance. They rise up in time to call upon the name of the Lord and be saved (Romans 10:13 CSB). They hear and experience Christ calming their stormy sea before the ship sinks. They understand they are worth so much more than to continue to be tossed to and fro in the frothy abyss of sin and despair, recognizing they are far too blessed to forsake Jesus Christ their Lord and Saviour, who is the treasure they were always looking for.

​​Toni Babcock
Minnesota, USA - faithwriters.com; info@grace-lines.net