The disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee with Jesus. (Mark 4). Jesus decided to take a nap. There was a sudden a great and furious storm. Then the disciples started trippin'! LOL! We used to say that in high school, "trippin'".
The story really hits home because as readers we realize how silly the disciples were knowing that the Son of God was in the boat with them!
"Master!!! Do you not care that we are dyyyyinnng?!?!" They yell over to the Lord across the storm tossed boat.
Jesus, though fully Divine, was fully human. He had been working in ministry and teaching all day. He spoke in many parables about the Kingdom of Heaven trying to help the people understand. Then after teaching he taught His disciples further revealing to them deeper meanings. He got onto the boat so that he could sit down and rest while he taught from the shores. After he finished teaching, Jesus just wanted to take a little rest on the water.
But the disciples' faith was immediately tested and they hardly passed the test. What would they have done if Jesus jsut slept through the whole thing? Would they have jumped off the boat and left the Lord sleeping in the boat while they tried to swim away from the storm?
They woke Jesus up with their yelling and panicking. "Peace, be still," Jesus says to the storm. Instantly, the waters were calm and peaceful.
Jesus gets up looks at the furious storm and says:
Then he turns to his disciples and says: "Why are you so afraid? Where's your faith?!"
The disciples have no answer. But they learned that day that their Lord could control the weather!
As a child, in my mind, I always imagined Jesus rolling his eyes and going back to His nap! LOL! But the Lord responded in love to His disciples, and I think that a renewed sense of calm and trust began flowing between Himself and the disciples...and the weather. Perhaps, they all settled down for a nap. But the Scripture says that the disciples were in awe and their fear of the storm turned to fear of the Lord after seeing His authority over the storm!
What amazes me is that the Lord always takes care of our Spiritual needs and our physical needs. Food for the soul, rest for the body, peace for the mind.
I would be very worried if I was in the boat and Jesus was NOT in there with me! Are you going through a storm right now? Stay in the boat with Jesus! Trust Him. No need to worry! Stay where Jesus is because there is peace in the center of that storm.
Thought
Are you going through one of life's storms right now? Look for Jesus and trust that HE is your peace in the center of that storm!
Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to learn how to trust You more. Even when life is tossing us about like a raging and furious storm! Give us Your peace and hope. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Read Mark 4
Song in My Head
'Lord, I could sing of YOUR goodness all day long. For YOU are so amazing to me! I lift my hands in adoration to YOU!' -Forever Jones
