Our Gospel this week is Mark 4:35-41, taken today from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB).
On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
Jesus is calm and confident in every situation because He knows His Father’s will and does it willingly. He spends time daily in prayer to hear God’s word and to share His own concerns. It should be no surprise then that He is unworried by the storm because of His faith.
To calm His disciples, He calms the storm and asks them “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v. 40). He could likely ask this of any of us. We find ourselves fearful of what goes on in the world because we are not in control, and we are afraid of the results.
The truth is that God is, has been and always will be in control. When we have faith, we can see His love for us displayed in our world. Don’t let earthly things and human failings distract you! The old hymn tells us “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
Wise and wonderful God, thank You for the gift of Jesus, sent to set us free from our sin. Help us to grow in faith, sharing Your love and truth everywhere. Amen.