Daily Devotional for Friday 10th May
Jesus calms the storm
Last October, my wife and I were on a holiday in mid Wales. It was during an awful storm and we got stuck there overnight. The water was as high as my windscreen and was destroying Land Rovers around us. Thankfully our car was ok, but the idea of a passenger sleeping through the storm, would have blown our minds, considering my wife (and I) were in a complete panic. The passage baffles me after going through that experience. Being on land in a flood is one thing, but on a fishing boat 2000 years ago during a storm would have been much more dangerous. In 1992 the Sea of Galilee had a storm with 10 foot high waves. If you were stuck in this today, you would be in serious danger. Now imagine sleeping through it. You would have to have a tremendous amount of peace to do this. Some would say you’d need to have a royal amount of peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
The interesting thing about this story is when Jesus was asked “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”. It’s really easy to see God as not caring when we are in a storm. Sometimes we ask why did God allow the storm in the first place? Why would God sleep whilst we are struggling? Why won’t He help me in my struggle? As soon as Jesus told the waves to be quiet and be still, they obeyed Him. It only takes a word from Jesus for our storm to change. We all go through storms in our lives, but Jesus’s words change things. The same words that created the stars choose to calm the storm.
Jesus also said to the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v40). You could argue that’s a bit harsh as 10 foot waves in a fishing boat would not be exactly a relaxing experience. I remember when my mum had a stroke when I was 16. I was so afraid of losing her to death or she wouldn’t be the same mum I always knew and loved. My dad was the calmest I’d ever known him. He slept well even when mum wasn’t there and he looked after us without breaking a sweat. Looking back, I see now how his faith kept him calm in the storm. It allowed him to focus on what mattered and helped him to see what was important in the moment, his wife and his children. Jesus saw what was important in that moment and knew peace in His Father to be able to sleep without the storm awakening Him. No doubt the disciples' faith grew massively that day from this experience as well, just like mine watching my Dad find rest in the Holy Spirit by praying and seeking God through the storm. Philippians 4:7 says And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Notice Jesus was at peace with His Father before the storm. He didn’t try to find peace mid storm or panic and think “Oh no! A storm! I need to sleep.” He was already asleep. For my Dad, this was a daily practice of praying every day, reading the word and attending church as often as he could. So, when the storm came, resting was easy. So, rest in the Father’s presence everyday so when the storms of life do come, you can find rest. If you have a bit of extra reading in you, have a read of Psalm 62. A powerful Psalm about finding rest in God during the storms of life.
Time to reflect…
Have you ever been in a storm where you needed Jesus? Has there been a time in your life when Jesus calmed the storm?
Pause to pray…
Jesus, thank you that you are in the boat with us. You don’t stand aside and watch us but you are here with us now today. I pray that you help us to seek you through life's storms and help us to practise our day to day by reading the word, praying to you and meeting together. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
