In the New Testament, we see the disciples experience two storms. But I think looking at these two storms; we see two different ways to approach the storms of life that we face. In this post, we are going to take a look at both of them.
In Mark 4, we see the first storm. Jesus had been teaching and decides to go across the sea of Galilee to the other side so He could teach there. So they set off across the sea and Jesus lays down to rest. When all of a sudden....
"A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 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?” - Mark 4:37-38 NIV
This tells us that the storms of life pop suddenly. One moment it's all blue skies and sunshine and then next moment it’s all of a sudden gray, dark and raining. The storm is here. In these stormy moments, we cry out to God the same way the disciples did - "Hey! Don't you care?!"
I know I have.
But Jesus wasn't shocked by the sudden storm. It didn't catch Him off guard. Jesus is not caught off guard by our storms either. Some storms are smaller. Some storms are larger. But Jesus scared of the size of the storms that come up in our life. Jesus wasn't scared of this storm the disciples were facing either. Jesus..
“... got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm." - Mark 4:39 NIV
Jesus then turns to His little group and says:
“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” - Mark 4:40 NIV
Every storm that we face is a test of faith. Are we going to trust God in midst of the storm and have faith that He is in control?
That is the really lesson here. Jesus wasn't mad at them for being upset or scared. He just wanted them to have faith that He is in control.
He wants the same for us as well.
The second storm I want to take a look at is a little different. There are some things that are the same. For example, the disciples are the same and the boat is the same (well at least there is a boat in this story just like the last one). This story also starts with them crossing the Sea of Galilee and there is storm that comes up. Jesus also handles the storm a little bit differently as well.
"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.
Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it." [1]
So while this storm was going on, Jesus appears out of the wind and rain - walking on the water toward the boat. The disciples having never seen something like this before become afraid and think it's a ghost. But Jesus calls out to them and tells them to not be afraid "It is I". [1]
So Peter yells out, to the person claiming to be Jesus, because he is still unsure:
"Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
"Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. [1]
Jesus didn't calm the storm in this case. He just called Peter to come to Him and Peter, with his eyes on Jesus, walked on the stormy waters toward Jesus. But then, Peter changed his focus from Jesus to the storm:
"But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” [1]
Peter became overwhelmed by the situation he was in. The same happens with us. In the midst of the storms of life, we change our focus from Jesus to the waves. I do it. You do it. We all do it. When we change our focus to our situation, like Peter, we begin to sink into it. It becomes our focus.
But the amazing thing is what happens next!
"Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down." [1]
Jesus is still there!
He was there to rescue Peter from the waters he was sinking into. The same goes for us. Jesus doesn't leave because our focus changes. He is right there with us still. He is guiding us through the storm.
This storm story tells us that Jesus doesn't always calm the storms of life - He walks through them with us instead.
Because even though it rains and storms - Jesus still reigns in the storm! [2]
[1] Matthew 14:22-32 NIV
[2] adapted from a quote by Perry Noble
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