Peace in the Storm

Mark 4:35-41 - "That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ 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?”³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” ⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

The disciples were amazed at Jesus power to calm the storm. Many will bring out in this passage that God has authority over nature. Yet, the truth that speaks to me most in this passage is that Jesus was at peace in the storm. The disciples were in a panic. Jesus was sleeping in the storm. Was Jesus not afraid because he was sleeping or was he sleeping because he was not afraid. When they woke Jesus, he didn't begin to panic when he saw the storm, he rebuked the wind and waves and told them to be still. Afterwards Jesus rebuked his disciples because of their fear and faithlessness.

We all have storms in our life. We may be blown around a bit, and even tossed around, but we can be at peace when we have faith in God. Faith in that God is with us. Faith that God loves us. Faith that He can keep and protect us. Faith that He is in control. Faith that He can deliver us. Fear is an enemy of faith. Fear is lack of faith. 

Nothing wrong with having a healthy fear of something, but when it grips us, panics us, and cause us to be anxious, it is not of God. Fear comes when our eyes are fixed on the storm instead of the Master of the storm.