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Devotion for Saturday, May 2
Mark 4:35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 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?" 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. 40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Ah storms! I love weather-related storms. I do not like the damage they are capable of, but I am in awe of the power that mother nature can throw at us. It is on my bucket list to be able to storm chase in the mid-west some summer to chase tornados. Excitement, wonderment and yes, fear!
We all experience different storms in our life. God knows I have had a few storms in my life, one that I have been weathering now for 30+ years. It was Him and still is Him who helps me get through! So, whether in relationships, illnesses, our finances and while doing battle with these storms, they begin to distract us from Jesus and our faith. Just as the disciples experienced on their boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. With the waves and the seas whipping across their boat, the disciples forgot, again, who it was that they were traveling with.
As we see in v.38 the disciples were nervous and went to wake Jesus up from his sleep; but what was it they ended up being afraid of? As we continue to read, it started out that they were afraid of the storm but in the end, it was the power that Jesus had over the storm! The idea to cross over to the other side was all Jesus and the disciples followed. What more can they ask for? Their Lord and their Protector is with them on the same boat on the same sea. No brainer, right? Wrong! Jesus allows them to fear the storm so much that they lose faith in Him, fear overcame their faith. This lesson is one that we should all keep to heart. We should keep our eyes on Him rather than the fear we all are experiencing right now. Seek Jesus; He is working to build better faith in us. Amen.
David Bigam,
Director of Children & Youth Ministries
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, please calm the winds and waves that are threatening our stormy lives. We pray, Lord, to be able to focus on Jesus and the faith that we have in Him, rather that the fears that we sometime must endure. Father, help us to be still so we can listen to your ever-loving words that give us peace. This I pray in Jesus' name. Amen
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