In the Face of a Storm

A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But {Jesus} 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?” 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. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” – Mark 4: 35-41

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The sea raged furiously and the wind whistled loudly across the night sky. Water lapped into the boats, filling them rapidly. Fear and worry consumed the men’s hearts and left them in captivity to the storm. So they turned to Jesus in panic.

“Why are you letting us perish?! Don’t you see that the storm will overtake us?”

We’ve turned to God in the midst of our personal storms in this same manner. “God, aren’t you watching? Don’t you care that our world is shaking? Don’t you care that our jobs are being laid off, our kids are being pressured in schools, our friends are dying of cancer? Our world is shaking and we’re going to perish!”

It was in the storm that God tested the disciples’ faith, and that He left them awestruck in the face of His power. You see, the storm was necessary for God to reveal His deity to the disciples.  Yet we still don’t get it. We’re still left in captivity to the storms of life, even though God has given us His Spirit, His truth, His life. When will we be awestruck by Him, and not by the storms that pass? When will we believe in His goodness and hope in His unfailing grace?

As you turn to Jesus in the midst of your storms, I hope you’re left gazing into the reality of an eternal Kingdom as you glance at the passing of this momentary life. I hope your faith is awakened and your world is turned upside down. I hope you are rattled by His greatness and left in awe of His power. I hope you become rooted in this God who has power over all things and yet who loves you more than anything.

Because we need to become completely undone for Him. We need to be struck in awe by His omnipotence — not by the storm.

“God — We do not want to be held in captivity by this world, we want to be held in captivation by you. When the winds come, as they will, we pray that we will not be shaken, but that we would be rooted in your truth and secure in your sovereignty.”