(Audio)
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
Jesus appeared to be sleeping even though "he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (see Psalm 121:4).
The storm raged. The disciples hearts were full of doubt. The doubt was not just about whether Jesus had the power to do anything about the situation but even more about whether he had love enough to help them. Was he simply indifferent?
He woke up,
rebuked the wind,
and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
Why did the storms only die down after the woke him? Because that is the moment they chose to trust in him. Only trust in Jesus can still the winds and bring great calm.
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
When Jesus seems to be asleep in our boat perhaps he is inviting us to trust him more. If we feel the need to wake him, let us do so more from trust in him than in fear of the waves.
King David brought a storm upon himself by letting his lust after Bathsheba cause him to commit great sins. But in the storm he remembered the one who could still the waves. Even though he deserved anything he got, even so he trusted in the LORD enough to turn to him for mercy.
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.
We too can turn to the LORD in the midst of any storm, even one we ourselves caused. We are so afraid that he is sleeping because he doesn't care or because he can't do much even when he is awake. But the LORD does love us, he is powerful, and is waiting only for our trust.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
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