"Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 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?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” – Mark 4:36-39
This account in Mark tells the story of the time that Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee in a small boat. While Jesus was sleeping, a terrible storm came upon them. The waves were breaking over the boat, threatening to sink the small vessel. The disciples panicked and woke Jesus, asking him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
I do not know who asked that question, but my guess is that it was Peter! These were mostly experienced seamen. They knew the sea quite well and were aware of these storms. If it was ever a time to be afraid, it was then. I imagine some were straining at oars to keep the boat moving across the sea toward land. Others were probably bailing the water to keep the boat from sinking. It was definitely an “all hands on deck!” time.
But not everyone aboard was worried. Not everyone was panicking. In fact, one was so calm through the storm that he managed to get a little nap in. Jesus was not worried. Jesus never worries.
We see many examples in scripture where Jesus was “troubled”: when Martha and Mary were weeping over Lazarus’ death; when he confessed to his disciples, “One of you is going to betray me”; when he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before his betrayal. But he was never worried.
Jesus does not worry when we are facing danger. He remains calm. He is Lord of all, and has the final say in everything. Nothing happens without his consent. Even though he was asleep, he was still in control of the situation. A terrible storm did not worry him. It posed no threat to the Son of God.
The disciples were not at the mercy of the storm; they were at the mercy of God. And scripture tells us that his mercy endures forever (read Psalm 136).
We do not always see Jesus doing anything to protect us. We do not always see him intervene on our behalf. It is usually done behind the scenes. But we believe it by faith. We see him at work through the eyes of faith. We trust his promises, that he will never leave us nor forget us. And we hold onto that during the storms of life.
When Jesus commanded the storm, “Quiet! Be still!” it was for the benefit of the disciples and for us. He wanted all of us to know that he is in charge, no matter what the situation. Even nature obeys his commands.
Are you facing some challenges now? Does it appear that Jesus is asleep and not paying attention? Just remember: he has not taken his eyes off of you and he is in control of the situation. Put your trust in Him and remember that Jesus is not worried. Nor should we be. The King of kings and Lord of lords has everything in his firm hands, and He will see you through every storm.
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