Our Gospel lesson is Mark 4:34-41, taken today from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).
On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
Jesus came to be with us as one of us, and the disciples had trouble understanding who He was as fully God and fully man. While they had seen the miracles He performed, these healings were done for others on a personal level. Confronting the power of nature seemed to be something completely different.
While Jesus asks “do you still have no faith?” at least the disciples were able to call on Him in their fear. Is it that way with us sometimes? Do we call on Him in our distress and doubt, rather than through our faith?
Jesus teaches that “all things are possible for the one who believes” (Mark 9:23). Our faith in Him is the most important part of our mortal and eternal lives. I use hymn quotes frequently because they speak to me and I’d like you to remember these words: “Only trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now! He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now.”
Gracious God, our faith is often small but Jesus promised even a little faith can change our lives. Help us to be the people of Your Word, sharing Your truth and love with all the world. Amen.