Lovers of God

Jesus calms a storm on the sea

Mk 4:35-41 35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 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. 38 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?" 39 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. 40 And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

Lk 8:22-25 22 Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they launched out. 23 But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. 24 They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. 25 And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?"

"Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" This is a question that Christians ask even today.

What are your thoughts on how much God cares for you? As a student, you have loads of homework and exams. As an employee, you have tasks and projects and deadlines. As a housewife, you have never ending chores. When you are in deep trouble through no fault of your own, will God protect you?

Note that the disciples sailed at the behest of Jesus. So then, it wasn’t their fault that they were in this mess.

What are your thoughts on how much control God has over the situation around you? Can He control your troublesome coworker and irresponsible manager? Can He control your troublesome spouse? Can He control your neighbors? Can He control the people driving on the road with you? If He can control the wind and the water, don’t you think He can also control all of the above? So then, you keep yourself humble and obedient, and let Him control the people and the environment around you. God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him.

Rom 8:28-30 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

"And we know," says Paul. Paul knew. Do you know? If you do, let that knowledge change your life. Let it change how you handle the different situations in your life.