Jun
17
It’s Not About Magic Words
Filed Under Devotional
“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?’
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 4:35-40
Just like this storm, Jesus can calm the storms in your life. He is sovereign and can make smooth seas for you if you just go to Him.
Of course, the only problem with that statement is that the Scripture I quoted doesn’t support it. Is it true? Sure. Is that what we were supposed to learn from this episode? Not at all.
We are not supposed to discover the bodyguard-God who clears a path for us through the crowds of life. He doesn’t take bullets for us or soften our fall. This is not the image at all that we should have after Jesus calmed the storm.
No, His disciples had the right response:
“They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’ ” Mark 4:41
We should be in awe of Him. We should know more about who He is. The storm was scaring the disciples to death. But, after Jesus calmed it, they were scared of Him!
Do we have that kind of fear of the Lord? It’s not that He wants us to live in terror, but He does want us to know who He is. If we spend any time in Scripture, it should be to shed light on who He is and what He has done for us.
It’s not about finding the magic words to smooth the seas.
Do you know who He is? Do you know what He has done?