Have you ever been awed by another person’s abilities? Have you ever stood on the sidelines of a championship game mesmerized by the skills and talents of the athletes? Or how about listened to musician who has perfected their skills on the guitar, drums or vocally. Has there ever been a time when you witnessed a selfless act by someone that exposed their heart and character? Did you watch with amazement and compare your motives and behaviors to theirs?
This sense of awe and wonder we experience with other humans as we see tangible displays of ultimate talents or ultimate selflessness causes us to pause in take notice. This sense of awe and wonder is not unlike the experience men and women of the Bible had as they received or viewed the healing and miracles Jesus performed during his ministry on the earth.
Jesus and his disciples set sail across the sea of Galilee. While they journeyed across the water a storm arose. Jesus, rested in the stern, as the was boat tossed to and fro by the frightening winds and waves. The disciples – as I am sure most of us would – panicked and woke Jesus up in a frenzy. They even asked “Rabbi, doesn’t it matter to you that we are about to be killed?” (Mark 4:38)
Jesus responded, “Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39) Of course, Jesus was talking to the wind and waves, but I wonder if he was also talking to the terrified disciples who lacked faith – even with Jesus, shoulder to shoulder, in the boat with them.
It occurred to me; just as with the disciples, Jesus is in the boat with me when I encounter the storms of this life. But so often I scramble around like the disciples – asking God, “seriously, this is how it’s going to go for me, this is how it ends.” I say this -whine actually – over inconveniences or disappointments, with my eyes more focused on the wind than the fact that Jesus is not worried, and he is hanging out resting. So why can’t I?
Why can’t I rest if Jesus – who is omnipotent and omniscient – can rest? Why do I have to work myself up, huff and puff, like I am going to lose my mind. It’s interesting to me that it was not until the wind and the waves were calm, after Jesus spoke 3 simple words, “Peace, be still” (KJV) that the disciples were able to pause and recognize the person and the Lordship of Jesus they had missed out on during the storm.
Matthew 8:27 says, “The men were astounded. They asked, ‘What kind of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey him?’”
Have you asked this question as well? Have you pondered and wondered who is this Jesus? Have you understood that this man, Jesus, even the winds and sea obey him?
If you have wrestled with the reality of the Lordship and the miracles, the power and wisdom that are his, do you trust his power is at work in your life today? Do you trust him in the middle of the storm or only after the wind dies down and you reflect? Can you see his hand was on the situation the whole time?
If you were asked this question, “What kind of man is Jesus?” what would you say?
How does knowing that he is in the boat with you and that he isn’t not frazzled by the storm change your perspective on the storm? Do you believe that Jesus can calm the storms of your life with a word? Is he speaking, “Peace, Be still” over you?
Are you living in fear of the wind and waves today? Or are you keeping your focus on Jesus, the one who commands the winds and waves to obey?
If you have wrestled with this question in your past, and you have an answer, may I challenge you to take an introspective look at your life. Will you consider how the answer to this question has impacted the way you live your daily life? How do you live differently because of who Jesus is, and the reality of his presence in your life?
This winter I have a NEW devotion book coming out called Ascent to Know Him. Ascent to Know Him is an eight-week devotional designed to enable readers to have a daily encounter with God through scripture, prayer and meditating on his word and his promises. If you find yourself unsure of how to answer the question, “who is this man” I urge you to pre-order your copy of Ascent to Know Him and find some answers.
I am so excited to share the next resource to help you grow in faith and in your relationship with Christ!
You can pre-order Ascent to Know Him on my website: https://www.ascenttohope.com/shop
Recent Comments