“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
The disciples woke him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’
They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'”
Mark 4:35-41
Our family is growing up fast. Over the past few years, we’ve gone from four little kids to incredible young adults. Some changes are obvious, like higher grocery bills or having strong young men to carry them inside. Others catch us off guard. A few months ago, I was relaxing on the couch when I heard a man’s voice I didn’t recognize. I got up to check and it was my son William! His voice had changed so quickly I didn’t even recognize him.
Sometimes hard seasons come just as fast. Finances shift, health issues surface, or relationships fracture. We’re going about daily life, and suddenly dark clouds and high waves leave us overwhelmed.
In those moments, like the disciples, it’s easy to ask, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” As seasoned Christians, we intellectually know He cares, but our expectations of how He should help aren’t being met.
If the disciples asked Jesus for help, why were they shocked when He delivered? They expected Him to help the way they would help each other: “We’re sinking, so grab a bucket and start bailing!” Jesus sleeping looked like a lack of care. But when He stood and commanded the weather, He didn’t just save them, He showed them they had nothing to fear.
The scripture says, “They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this?’” The disciples moved from survival-based panic (deilos – timidity in the face of death) to holy awe (phobos megas – a great reverence).
Remember this in your own stormy seasons: God will make a way. His solution might not look like bailing water alongside you. But He is the God who spoke to calm the seas and parted the waters when there was no way forward. He is committed to loving you, and He is right there with you.
Have a wonderful week,
Tammy Keezer