As a child, one of biggest fears was tornadoes. The thought of that unpredictable devastation scared me beyond reason, so much so that whenever the sky darkened during the spring and summer I would experience feelings of panic.
My father was able to accept he fact that the weather is beyond our control and that we just need to trust God for our safety. Seeing his calm attitude, no matter what the weather, gave me a sense of peace.
In Mark we have a story of a strong storm. Where are Jesus and his followers going? What happens as they cross the lake? Where is Jesus when the storm hits? What does Jesus do?
I believe this story is intended to mean many things. A sudden storm blows in and the boat is nearly swamped – nearly filled with water – yet Jesus sleeps through all this. The disciples can do nothing but quake in fear and whine that their teacher doesn’t care. But Jesus is able, with just a few words, to stop all the chaos. And these followers are amazed.
Scholars have pointed out that this storm story takes place when Jesus expands his ministry from Judea to the Gentile territories in the are. He is going somewhere new, somewhere that can seem a bit frightening. Yet, Jesus is able to overcome the storms he will face.
This story can also apply to all of our lives. Each one of us faces storms in our lives, and not just wind and rain. We face emotional storms – the loss of a job, the loss of a loved one, broken relationships, physical illness. We may think the “boat” of our life is about to sink.
What we need to do is find the peace of calling on Jesus, just as the disciples did. But, rather than doubting – “don’t you care?” – you can turn to Jesus in confidence – “I know you care, and I need you.”
Jesus may not remove the storm, but we can find the peace of knowing that no matter what, he is with us. And that should give us peace in our hearts, peace enough to face the storms of life.
DAILY CHALLENGE: Is your cry to Jesus “don’t you care” or is it “I know you care?”
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