Dear Friends,
We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk. We give thanks to Rev. Pam Reed, Registrar and Student Support Tutor, for writing this devotional.
You are welcome to share this and include it in your church newsletters if you wish; we just ask that you please give credit to NTC and the author. Thank you!
Mark 4:35-41 (NLT)
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. 38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
Devotional
Learning from the Storm
My friend and her husband had a day off from work. Experienced sailors, they decided to take their boat out in the Gulf of St Vincent near Adelaide. They checked the weather forecast – all clear. But as they were enjoying the afternoon, they encountered a fierce storm that made them fear for their lives. “The storm came from nowhere,” she recounted later. “We thought we would capsize and be lost. Then what would happen to our children?”
Apparently sudden storms are a frequent occurrence in the Sea of Galilee, its topography perfect for the development of these fear-inducing events. But among Jesus’ disciples were professional fishermen (Simon, Andrew, James, and John) who were familiar with the Sea of Galilee. That they too were afraid means that this was no ordinary storm. That it happened at night (v.35) added another dimension to the fear.
Contrast this fear with Jesus’ response. Perhaps through exhaustion, he slept, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil. The panicked disciples woke him: “Don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” (38) I wonder what they expected Jesus to do – perhaps to be with them as they faced the storm together? I’m sure they weren’t expecting what did happen.
Jesus’ response was to speak directly to the storm: “Silence! Be Still!” (40) The storm stopped immediately, but the disciples’ fear did not (41). Now they had a new fear and new things to think about. Only God had power over wind and waves – what were the implications for their faith and beliefs? They could no longer just believe that Jesus was a good teacher or healer or prophet.
We too need to consider what we believe about Jesus. Do we really believe that he is God? Are we certain that our God will not abandon us when we face difficulties in life?
Prayer
God of heaven and earth, of sea and land and sky, we come to you in awe of your power and authority. Like the disciples, we are afraid of so many things. Help us to trust in your care and presence. Thank you, God, that your desire is to help us through every stage of our lives whether in removing the obstacles or by giving us courage to face them.
We are yours. Amen.
Blessings,
Pam Reed (Registrar and Student Support Tutor)