It is early, and I am sitting on a balcony of a hotel, watching and listening to the waves roll in. A storm is coming, the lightning is flashing, and the thunder is rolling. Regardless of that, a group is staking claim to “their spot” on the beach for the day; the beach chair vendors are setting up the chairs and umbrellas for those that prefer the convenience of renting, and the rain will begin any minute.
Are they not paying attention to the situation around them? Or maybe is it that they will be prepared with the storm passes? Because the storm is coming, I can feel it in the air. Sometimes, we can see the storm on the horizon, and sometimes, it hits us out of nowhere.
35 On that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. 37 A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?”
41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Are we prepared for the storms of Life?
During the storm, Jesus was fast asleep. He had no concerns for safety or the outcome because He knew it would be ok. Can you imagine being able to sleep in the stern of a boat during a fierce storm? The terrified disciples woke him up in a panic. With three words, the sea returned to a peaceful state! Just three powerful words from Jesus for our environment to return to calm.
Are we not paying attention to the inevitable storms that are coming, or are we preparing for the other side of the storm? I want to be ready! I can do that by cultivating my relationship with Jesus every day. The closer my walk with the Lord, the more prepared I can be for the storms that come. Now, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be storms that sneak up on us, nor does it mean that the storms won’t be fierce, and I will have to wake Jesus up, but by making my daily time with Jesus a priority, I can have more peace through the storm.
Our faith comes in calling out to Jesus during the storm, and knowing that He can calm the storm or walk through it with us and accepting both are ok.
The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Mk 4:35–41). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
