Calm the Storm

Matthew 8:23-27

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then he(Jesus) got into the boat and his disciples followed him.24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
This passage made me realize something this morning as I read it, and I just wanted to share it.

The boat is like my life. I play the role of a disciple, probably Thomas, because I am such a stinkin' skeptic. I'm in it and I know Jesus is with me; the Son of God; God in the flesh. I'm going through a storm and I'm freaking out. I literally sometimes feel like I am going to drown. Jesus (being wiser than I) knows that everything is going to be okay because he knows that we are in the care of our capable heavenly father. I scream out to him, "Jesus! HELLLOOOOOO! What is going on here? I'm dying here! Where are you?"

I think it's interesting that it says Jesus was sleeping. There is literally a tempest going on right next to him, but he is content enough to sleep. We are supposed to live like Jesus and are fully enabled to do so when we accept him into our lives. What an example of faith! To be able to basically sit back, and relax, knowing that we are in the care of a God who made the oceans and can certainly calm them.

He says gently and calmly, "Oh, you of little faith, didn't you know that I was with you the whole time? Don't you know that since I'm with you, everything will all be fine? Why don't you trust me? Why don't you trust me to take care of you no matter how grim the situation looks? Where is your faith in me?"

I know Jesus is with me and he is my helper. I know that I shouldn't worry because God has a master plan for everything and that even the hard times are here for a reason. I know there is beauty and purpose even in the ugliest and stickiest situations. I think it shows how little we trust Jesus when we panic through our trials. He can calm the storm either internally or externally with the flick of his wrist. He is more powerful than any force we can encounter and his word can calm even the toughest internal storm if we take the time to read it and build our lives on it.

I want to frame this scripture passage and hang it on my wall, so that when I go through what I would call a "storm", I will remember that Jesus is with me and will calm it for me if I just have faith in him and trust that he is with me so everything is okay.