The Tempest is Raging

                                  

³⁵ That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ 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?”
³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
                                                                            Mark 4:35-41

I've had some lingering thoughts about this section of scripture for a long time.  Even though it's a story from the earthly ministry of Jesus which demonstrates his power over nature, there have been times when I would catch myself wondering how small is the faith of his followers?  They had seen him perform miracles already, so shouldn't they know when the storm comes up, no matter how fierce, Jesus was going to handle it?  Mark 3, just one chapter earlier says, "For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him."  Sure enough, all it took from him was the command for the wind and the waves to "Be Still," and the situation was handled. 

So was it necessary for this story to have ever taken place?   Followers and believers of Jesus, those who actually witnessed and possessed by personal experience, the power of the Son of God, now calming a storm.  Didn't they already know he could do that?

I have come to realize the story is there for a couple of reasons and maybe you can think of more. 

1.  For the believers in the boat, the storm proved their faith was not as strong as it could and should have been.  While Jesus was sleeping through the storm, they were frantically trying to awaken him because they were afraid of drowning. "Don't you care if we drown?"  Yes, Jesus was concerned with their safety and ours.  This story is there to show us there is a continuing need to increase our faith. 

2.  Another reason this story is so important to us is when we see how easy it is for the storms of life to shake a believer's faith.  In those times, faith is our only hope for victory, but experience tells us we are easily shaken.  We should always be turning to Jesus who longs to deal with our doubts and fears and storms with his commanding voice of, "Be Still."

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