Dear Saints,
How do you take a nap in the middle of a ragging storm? The story of Jesus being sound asleep in the boat during a mini hurricane on the lake of Galilee amazes me (Mark 4: 35-40). Just getting in a boat usually makes me nervous never mind being caught in a storm. The fact that experienced fishermen who knew how to sail were freaked tells me this was no small storm threatening to destroy their boat. In fact, the situation was so dangerous as the boat began filling up with water they thought it necessary to interrupt Jesus getting some rest to prepare for the worst. Of course, Jesus quickly dealt with the situation and rebuked them for their foolish worry.
Mark tells us how Jesus took care of this life-threatening situation by simply rebuking the wind and telling the sea, “Peace, be still”. Clearly Jesus, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, was not in the least bit worried about the raging storm because he knew he was in charge and “even the wind and the sea obey him”. So he asked those with him, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” Silly disciples. There was no need to freak out over the storm when they were in the same boat as the Master. Yet Mark reports they thought they were going to die, and the Master didn’t care. That’s why they woke him from his nap in the first place. Even after Jesus calmed the sea Mark tells us they “feared exceedingly” and asked themselves what kind of man was in the same boat with them.
Like those early disciples we are in the same boat as Jesus in this world. Because we have been joined to him ( he in us and us in him) and he has sent us into the world just as the Father sent him, we are in the same boat with him. What happens to us happens to him. When the storms arise and threaten to destroy us they threaten him as well. The reason he can take a nap in the middle of the storm is because he, as Paul put it in Colossians 3: 15, “let the peace of God rule” in his heart. Because Jesus and the Father are one he experiences the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. And because we are in him and he in us we too can experience the peace of God in the middle of the storms of life.
Likewise Paul admonishes us to, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” in the same way it did for Jesus. Believing that Jesus is in the same boat as we, that we are in him and he is in us, is allowing the peace of God to govern our decisions in life. No matter how threatening the storms may seem to be, the Master is there to command, “Peace, be still”. Rather than being controlled by fear and worry about what might happen, we can live in peace having the confidence we need to make the right choices for ourselves and others.
I’m not sure I will ever get to the point where I can take a nap in the middle of the storm. But I can honestly say that I see the storms as an opportunity to hear the Master command, “Peace, be still”. Even in these dark days of the latter times we live in, we have a confidence and boldness in the peace of God ruling in our hearts to rebuke the wind and calm the waves. No matter how threatening the storms of life may be, Jesus remains in charge even when it seems he is taking a nap. You can trust him because he’s in the same boat with you.
John
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