35 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!"
Spent and in much need of respite from preaching, teaching and healing the Lord Jesus gathers His guys into a boat with the command to head for the other side. The Master enters the vessel sans cloak to keep Him dry or blanket to warm Him – leaving “just as He was”. Weary and exhausted from the day’s duties, the Master sits in the stern and begins to sleep soundly – reposing Himself for His next good work. Jesus demonstrates for us through His actions that it is not wrong to consider the frailty of our frames when we are about God’s work – our bodies which house the Treasure are jars of clay not machines. One particularly becomes aware of this fact as age increases! Jesus is well aware of how we are formed and remembers that we are dust. He often withdrew to solitary places away with His disciples for times of refreshment and restoration. Later in Mark we discover:
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:30-31 (NIV)
Next, we are told a furious squall descended - filling the boat with water until it nearly swamped the little vessel while all the while the Lord slept soundly like a baby in the stern. Drained of hope, the disciples come to Jesus the God of all hope. When Christ is in our company we have all that we need. Believing the Master to be unconcerned and uncaring about their circumstances – heedless of their prayers - the storm sorely tested the disciple’s faith. Been there – wondering if Jesus remains unaware of my circumstances – humming the line “Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen” yet neglecting the next one “Nobody knows but Jesus”! Why is it so often when the fire gets hot we think He is on vacation – not interested in our pain – not interested in our sorrow – or believing He is not able to help us through it? Nothing could be further from the Truth. The disciples should have known that a ship with the Lord Jesus in it may be tossed but it will never sink. We may perhaps be at our own wits end but we are never at faith’s end while we have a Savior to go to. Sometimes the greater lesson is learned in the midst of our storms before the waves are quelled. We can be sure God always has our best interest at heart. He will never leave us or forsake us. Believing faith in Jesus shouts louder and stands surer than our crumbling circumstances reminding us that nothing that we possess or do not possess can change the unchangeable God – the sureness of Who He is. Believe Him when He tells us:
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)
“Be not dismayed, but go to Him who is the God of all comfort, who comforteth all those that are bowed down, and He will give you a word which shall heal your wounds, and breathe peace into you spirit.” Charles H. Spurgeon
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah Psalms 46:1-3 (NIV)
Christ rebukes the wind and the waves and they immediately willingly subside at His command - of course they do – leaving complete calm in the wake. There is always complete calm with the Lord Jesus. He is never out of control. He is never unable. Faith can conquer fear every time. We discover in the Psalm 107 words reminiscent to our Lord’s actions:
28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalms 107:28-29 (NIV)
“Hope, it is exquisitely fragile and it is an exceptional force and it is essential to faith and you can’t afford to lose it. Lose your fears but never your hope.” Ann Voskamp
Lastly, we see our Lord rebuking His guys for their lack of faith. Just as faith can conquer fear, our great fears can cause our little faith to flee. Fear will take our eyes off the God of all creation – the all-powerful, the all-knowing the everywhere God and puts them on what was created – ourselves. No wonder we get fearful - we know ourselves all too well! In the calm after the storm the disciples sat wide eyed – full of reverence, respect and terror over what had transpired. Nothing lays flesh flat on its face faster than when it comes into the reality that it is in the presence of the All-Powerful Holy One.