I grew up living on the lake, and during the summer, it was always interesting to watch storms and rain blow across it. The lake could go from calm to rough waters within moments. The heat of the day could suddenly feel cooler as the storm approaches. And as I have often thought about the storms of life, they come to us at a moment’s notice. The storms of life also bring about a change in the way we feel, just as when the heat calms before a storm. In our scripture passage today, we find that a storm comes upon Jesus and the disciples as they are crossing the sea. The storm catches the disciples off guard (even the ones who were professional fishermen, who should have understood how the weather on the water works). But Jesus is calm and asleep because nothing catches him off guard and nothing provokes panic, for he is the Sovereign Lord. As we look at the passage, we will consider it from two perspectives. First, the arrival of the storm, and secondly, the calming presence of Jesus.
The Arrival of the Storm
Jesus and the disciples had just finished a day of ministry and were truly exhausted. They got in a boat and were heading to another area of ministry. What is interesting in this text is that it says Jesus and his disciples were not alone; others also got into small boats and followed them. As we know, that was not uncommon, as often, when Jesus moved from one area to another, people followed. This time, they were following him across the sea, not just across land.
As they were moving to the other side of the sea, a great windstorm arose and began to cause the waves to topple over the side of the boat and fill the boat with water. The disciples were just following Jesus and doing life when these storms hit. This is the way it happens with us as well. We are just living life, and then suddenly the storms approach, and our lives are toppled by the waves. We feel as if we are sinking into the water because of the storm hitting us. And the truth is those feelings are valid because without some help, the storms of life will overcome us. The feelings of fear and doubt are real and truly terrifying. We can clearly understand the disciples’ feelings as they rush to wake Jesus. We can understand them by asking, do you not care about us, because we have been there before. The uncertainty of the storm has left our minds unable to process properly, and we feel helpless and hopeless.
As these storms hit us, we need to remind ourselves that Jesus is in the boat with us. We are not alone, and we are not helpless. Our emotions during this time often override our thinking, and honestly, that is normal. Normal, though, doesn’t mean right; it just means it is the way our sinful flesh operates. But just as the disciples were not alone, we are not alone.
The Calming Presence of Jesus
When the disciples awoke Jesus, he suddenly rebuked the wind and the sea, causing them to be still and calm. Then he turns to his disciples and asks them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” The answer is yes to both of those questions. Because their response to each other was Who is this that can calm the wind and the sea. They still didn’t completely understand that Jesus is the Creator and Lord of all! And if we are truthful, we can really understand the way the disciples were feeling and thinking.
What we need to understand is that no storm arises that surprises Jesus. Every storm in our lives comes as a surprise to us, but not Jesus. Jesus knows every detail of what will happen in our lives, and he has known that before the creation of the earth. Jesus understands and sees the past, the present, and the future. Jesus is the Eternal and Divine Son of God, who has always been and will always be. That is one that we can turn to amid the great storms of our lives. He knows exactly how and why the storm has arisen, and the perfect time to calm it and make it peaceful. What we need to realize is that Jesus is in the boat with us, and because of that, the storm has no power over us, even in its most raging moments. What we need to do in those moments is try to focus on resting in Christ. And I know that words are easier said than done, but as we continue to rest and look to Christ, we truly understand and experience His Grace!
Jesus will speak calm into your life and my life. It may not come when we want, but it will come at the moment that brings the greatest glory to Christ. What we must keep reminding ourselves is that we can rest in Christ amid the winds and waves of life. We have constantly remind ourselves that we are not in the boat alone.
Conclusion:
Storms will come, and storms will cease, and we must understand that they come even as we are in the boat with Jesus. Just because you and I are followers of Christ does not mean that difficult storms are ahead; what it means is that in the middle of a storm, we can rest in Jesus. I would encourage each of us to lean on Jesus before the storm, during the storm, and after the storm.
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