With Jesus in The Boat- Cheryl Weber
In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus had just finished ministering to the crowds by a lake. He knew a huge storm was coming yet he asked his disciples to sail with him to the other side. In full confidence the Father would get them safely to their destination, Jesus fell asleep so soundly, even the storm couldn’t awaken him.
The disciples were in a very different state of mind. As the wind roared, the waves mounted, and water began to fill the boat, they forgot all the miracles they’d seen the Master do. Succumbing to panic, they shook Jesus awake and screamed, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to drown?” (vs. 38 NLT)
Jesus shut the storm down. Then he asked his companions, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” for the disciples had transferred their terror to this display of the Creator’s power over creation. “‘Who is this man?’” they asked each other. “‘Even the wind and waves obey him!’” (vs. 40-41 NLT)
When the storms of life grow fierce, it becomes all too easy to focus on the “winds and the waves” and succumb to despair, rather than trusting our heavenly Father. We fear our boat is sinking and we cry out with the disciples, “Lord, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” (vs 38b NLT)
The Lord doesn’t always calm our storms, however. Instead, he asks us to go with him through them. He is our “very present help” (Psalms 46:1) as we sail through the roaring winds and the tossing waves that threaten to capsize us. Unlike the disciples, we can take comfort from the Lord’s work in our lives. We can allow the storms to refine our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7) as we put all our trust in our loving Savior who tenderly cares for us, keeps our boat afloat, and takes us safely to “the other side.”
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me remember that you are with me through my storms and that as I keep my eyes off the waves and on you, you can use those storms in your plans and purposes for my life. AMEN
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