We all go through times in our lives where everything just seems out of control. Maybe it’s simple anxiety, maybe it’s something huge and life-altering, but either way, we’ve all experienced it. I’ve felt anxious and stressed often lately, mostly because of self-imposed deadlines and to-dos that are completely unreasonable and unnecessary. As silly as that sounds (like, just stop doing that, Jordan!!), sometimes we just need to be reminded of the undeniable, all-encompassing peace that Jesus wants to give to us. This was our sermon in church last Sunday, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
In Mark 4:35-41, we are told the story of Jesus calming the storm while He and His disciples are on a boat. In only seven verses, believers are painted a picture of the ultimate peace that Jesus can provide through this miracle he performed in the presence of his disciples. The scene is set for us, detailing the account of their day leading up to the events on the water.
“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?”
(v. 37-38)
How many times have we looked up, shaking our heads, questioning the power or the intention of God? How many times have we questioned that he is listening, that he cares about us, that he’s even there at all, because WE don’t like how HE is handling something in our lives? I know I’ve wondered why a prayer isn’t being answered, only to understand later on that he was always working, just not in the way I thought was best… He is God in the storm, through the storm, and over the storm, no matter what.
“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!”
Peace comes not from the absence of waves, but from trusting in the power of Jesus. – Think about this! We will go through trials and tribulations. There will be waves and storms and “furious squalls” in our lives that we have to go through. But He is God in the storm, through the storm and over the storm. Wind and waves will come again – He’s the only anchor that goes deep enough to hold.
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