As we continue to watch the weather reports that hurricane Florence will be a strong category four and could strengthen to a category 5 we are scared. What is going to happen to our family and friends? Our home? Our beach? Our town?
According to scripture Jesus was able to calm the sea. Psalm 107"29: "He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed." Psalm 89:9, "You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them." Mark 4: 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."
After rebuking the wind and waves, Jesus then rebuked His disciples, asking why they were so afraid and why they had no faith in Him. God expects us to trust Him!
Mark 4: 35-41, "That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 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?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
The disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jesus did not send them out to drown. Jesus knows the storm is not where you face the enemy. The storm is where you meet your God.
It is in adversity, when we know we cannot do it ourselves and we need God, that we see the power of God in our lives.
I have cried out to God to save me from the storms in my life. He did not save me right then. The storm raged on until I reached the other side. I see Gods power over the storm in a different way. He uses the storms to change our lives.
Just as we have to watch our children learn from tough times, God cannot relieve us from storms. It is not always the best thing that can happen to us. The best thing that can happen is for us to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The enemy uses the storms in our lives to make us anxious, afraid, and discouraged. God can use it to make us secure and steadfast.
Jesus can calm the storms in our lives. Even if he does not calm the storms, we can trust that he will hold us. He will use it to transform us and we can know he loves us! Jesus is able to sleep peacefully as the boat rocked through the waves in the storm. This shows His great trust in God.
Amen!