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Verse: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. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” —Mark 4:37–40, NIV
When the disciples frantically woke Jesus, who was sleeping through the massive storm that threatened to sink their ship, they were dealing with a real problem. The wind and the waves were very real and very scary.
The water that was filling the boat faster than they could bail it out was also very real. Many of them had spent most of their lives on the Sea of Galilee as fishermen, and they knew the difference between a small storm and a serious tempest. And this was a tempest, and it frightened them. Despite the real danger of the storm, Jesus was sound asleep. How could Jesus sleep with such turmoil all around Him? What is even more shocking is that after the disciples woke Jesus up and after He calmed the sea, He rebuked them for their lack of faith. Excuse me? This dangerous storm had strong winds and tossing waves that filled their boat with water, creating the likely possibility that they would sink and drown. Jesus did not question the nautical judgment of His disciples or disagree that the situation was serious. Instead, He questioned their lack of faith. They needed to learn, as do we, that faith is never dependent on our circumstances. Faith believes what God has said, no matter how things look around us. Faith recognizes that God is still in control, even in the worst of storms.
Faith believes that God is able. When we are walking in faith, we will not walk in fear. “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Psalm 118:6, KJV). Faith is not the belief that nothing will ever go wrong.
Rather, faith is the belief that God is for and with us, and He will never allow us to endure something that He cannot ultimately use for our good and His glory. So today, have faith. The winds and the waves still obey His voice, and He is saying to you, “Peace, be still.”
Beverley Martin