Scripture:
“As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.’ So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?’
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’
The disciples were absolutely terrified. ‘Who is this man?’ they asked each other. ‘Even the wind and waves obey him’!” Mark 4:35-41 (NLT)
Perspective:
Why did Jesus allow the disciples to get into the boat if he knew there would be a storm? He could have waited or gone a different route. Instead, he packed up the disciples in a boat and went anyway. Jesus slept because he wasn’t worried, but the disciples had enough concern for all of them. The waves, the wind, and the water began to overwhelm their boat. Multiple disciples had been fishermen so they weren’t inexperienced at guiding a boat in a storm. Even they hadn’t experienced this extreme weather. People started shouting at Jesus to help while Jesus was taking an evening nap. Why wasn’t Jesus worried? The disciples had seen Him do miracles for other people, and they thought they mattered even more to Him. They had given up their whole lives to follow Jesus. Why didn’t He help them? Yet, Jesus wasn’t worried because He knew they would make it to the other side. Jesus couldn’t have been any closer and his closeness showed he cared.
The disciples were afraid in the boat because they didn’t know if Jesus could do anything for them. That’s a scary place to be when you can’t help yourself and don’t know if God can either. You may be standing in the midst of your own storm shouting and asking God, “DO YOU CARE?” The answer is that Jesus couldn’t be any closer when you call out to Him, and His closeness shows He cares. If you feel like you are drowning, remember that God is with you, and you will make it to the other side.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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About Hona Amer
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