SOMETIMES HE CALMS THE STORM
Mark 4:35-41
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
A few years ago Linda, Micah and I had just gotten to South Dakota and Micah and I had to go out to check some tree stands. It had snowed some during the night and there was an inch or two on the ground. We had to go down a very steep hill for a few hundred yards. Going down wasn’t a problem at all; coming back up became a problem. We got almost to the top and we quit making forward progress… then it became really hairy! We began sliding backwards, sliding uncontrollably and picking up speed. There was no controlling the speed or the direction really. I had to hold on to the brakes and do my best to try to steer.
When we finally stopped, I climbed out to access the situation and realized we were very close to going over the edge, and into a 30-foot-deep wooded ravine on the passenger’s side. It had snowed for a while and we were still in the midst of a bad storm. I decided to have Micah drive, backing up inch by inch, while I put my shoulder against the back fender and push for all I was worth… attempting to get tires back on the trail. I did my best to stay calm to keep Micah calm.
After a few minutes we were able to get the truck back on the trail and we found a better, less steep path out. We could have lost our calm and gone over the edge, but God gave us the strength and calmness we needed to get through the storm and come out the other side of that storm, safe and a little wiser.
There is a song by Scott Krippayne called SOMETIMES HE CALMS THE STORM.
Part of the lyrics say this:
"Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child"
God calmed the storm in Micah and I that morning… This is demonstrated in the calming of the storm in Mark 4:35-41. This is an impressive demonstration of Christ’s power over nature and His ability to comfort us in the storm. It shows our need to call on Him in prayer and place our trust in Him and our total need to rely on him.
When the disciples cried out suggesting that He didn’t care whether they perished or not, Christ showed His disappointment in their lack of faith. For Christ loves us all and wants for none to perish, but for all to have faith and go through the storm with Him. Each time we choose to trust Him in the storm, the stronger our faith becomes.
But what we also see in this passage is the transformation from being afraid to having the fear of God. The disciples just witnessed the power that He had over the sea and storm and realized the power that He had over them. They were now in awe; they were amazed at what they just observed and were filled with the fear of God, a godly fear of the power and grace of Christ during the calm, a fear of the Lord and all His goodness, a reverent awe that was full of honor and glorifying to Christ
So today, what do you fear? What needs "calming" in your life? There are so many things in life we can't control, but HE can... Ask God to calm your storms or to allow the storms to rage, and to hold you close and calm you...
"SOMETIMES HE CALMS THE STORM AND OTHER TIMES HE CALMS HIS CHILD"
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