“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” Mark 4:35-41 NKJ
I want to believe that you are with me in my storms and that you are working; but sometimes I fear you are not. Sometimes it feels like you are sleeping and that you do not care if I die in the midst of it. Does it ever feel like God is asleep when you are in the middle of a life storm? Do you ever wonder when the torrential rains, blustering wind, and raging seas are going to cease? Do you wonder how you are going to make it safely to the other side? What is your response during the storms of life? Do you frantically run around trying to bail yourself out? Does your mind race as feelings of fear overtake you and do you wonder if this storm is going to kill you?
The answer to these questions is found in asking yourself this question. Do you react as an Old Testament Disciple or do you react as a New Testament Disciple when a life storm comes up unexpectedly? Are you still wondering if Jesus is really the Messiah and if He is going to save you? Or are you firmly grounded in your faith that He is; and Christ is in you is the hope of glory for the deliverance of, or from the storm! Sometimes we question how the disciples could have possibly responded the way they did since they knew they were with Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. But we have to remember that even though they followed Him and witnessed His ministry, He hadn’t yet died on the Cross and been resurrected. They wanted to believe! They acted on that belief when they continued to follow Him! But in their minds it is obvious there was still some doubt. This doubt stayed with them all the way to the Cross!
The Bible says that John was the only disciple who actually went to the foot of the Cross. The others were so tormented by their grief that they betrayed Him, deserted Him, denied Him, and ran from Him. So with this in mind it is easier to understand why they reacted the way they did in this passage, when they went from fear to fear; and not from faith to faith! Look at what verses 40 and 41 say, “But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
For a New Testament Disciple it is important that we live, not as an Old Testament Disciple, wondering if this Christ is really the Messiah who will save us. We need to live knowing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He did! This will empower us to live by faith, resting on the promises of the risen Messiah, during life’s storms! Psalm 121: 3-8 says, “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.”
When Jesus went to sleep on that boat it was not an act of abandonment of His disciples! It was actually an act of love for us who believe! It was a living example of where we are to be found by those around us, when one of life’s storms comes up out of nowhere. Isaiah 30:15 says, “For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” When a life storm like cancer, death, divorce, bankruptcy, rebellious children, layoffs, a down economy, etc., comes up unexpectedly, our strength comes in returning to the promises of God, and in resting in the finished work of the Cross! When we react as the world reacts or as the Old Testament Disciple reacted, we are crippled in fear and desperately run in search of a savior. On the other hand, when we react the way Jesus reacted we have confidence knowing we are safe. We know who our Savior is and we put our hope and faith in Him. This gives the clarity of mind to know what to do next.
We no longer follow after Jesus looking for the signs of the true Messiah! The Cross made the evidence clear! We now walk in step with the Living Savior, for in Him we live, and move, and have our being! There is absolutely no separation between God and man in the New Covenant. This understanding is what gives us the power to live from faith to faith during life’s storms with an assurance that we will be delivered in safety, to the other side. This is why Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 When we understand this we will be able to rise up in the storm, rebuke the winds, calm the sea, and quiet the voices of fear and doubt; by the power and authority of Jesus Christ given to us on the day of His resurrection!
Prayer: Spend time today with your living Savior asking for wisdom and understanding so you know what it means to be a New Testament Disciple. Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in your inner man as He reveals the Truth of His Word to you. If you feel out of step with Christ meditate on the Scriptures that give you the assurance of who you are in Him! You are a New Covenant Disciple of the Living Savior! Believe it! Live it! And watch as His power is displayed in your life when a storm comes up unexpectedly!
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