Mark 4:35-41
35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Does this sound a little like your life as of late?
Do you feel as if you have been through a storm?
Under attack from every side?
Do you feel as if your life has been thrown upside down?
Cap-sized by the waves?
The disciples did.
In verse 38, when the disciples woke Jesus up, the first thing they questioned was His care. "Do you not care that we are perishing?"
How often do we do the same? When faced with a storm, we question, "Does God even love me? How could a loving God let this happen? Where is He? Does He even care?"
And all the while, there He sits - right there in the boat beside us.
Available. Present. Near.
As the story moves along in Mark 4, Jesus awakens and, with the power of His word, restores peace and stillness. "Still" is defined in this portion of scripture as a "muzzle, reducing noise to silence." It also means, "to put in check." Jesus did what the disciples could not do on their own. Ephesians 2 calls Him OUR peace, too. Not just theirs - OURS.
Isaiah 43:2
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with YOU,
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over You..."
Psalm 46:1-3
"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling."
The disciple's fear was a direct result of their lack of knowledge (see verse 41). They still did not know who He was and how He loved. They still questioned what He could do.
Years ago, my children and I did a science experiment in which we placed a lit candle under a bowl. Within seconds, the candle's light faded to nothing - starved for oxygen. The lesson was simple: If you feed it, the fire will grow. If you starve it, the fire will die.
The same truth applies to our faith...and to our fear.
If "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God," than by digging deep into the Word of God on a daily basis - memorizing scripture, studying the Bible, listening to messages, and filling my home with worship music that lines up Scripture - I will FEED my faith fire. As my knowledge of God grows, my faith will too!
But I have to also acknowledge this SAME TRUTH applies to my fear.
If I starve my faith and FEED my fear - my fear fire will grow until it consumes me. Too much media content, the wrong books, lack of the Word, surrounding myself with negative conversation, isolation - all of this can be fuel to a fear fire.
So, my friend - which fire do you see burning brighter in your life?
Not sure? Look at your response to the storms you face.
Is your first thought to question His care?
If it is - it may be time to get to know even more
the Jesus in your boat.
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