LEARNING DAILY

 

Mark 4:37-38, And a great windstorm arose, and the wave 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?”

 

Over the years I have enjoyed watching football on television.  A good football game has even been known to find me with my eyes closed enjoying a little nap. Its funny how that happens. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus is in boat with His disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee to go into Gentile territory. The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by mountains where storms can occur suddenly. That’s what happened; a storm arose that was pretty severe – “the waves were coming in the boat”. When the game got exciting, the disciples found Jesus napping. Ok, I mean when the storm got exciting!

 

I must admit my wife has nudged me awake several times to ask if I was enjoying the game. And the disciples woke Jesus up so He could calm the storm. Let me draw your attention to several things in this story. When they left the shore, Jesus knew a storm was coming and He did not stop it. He could have done that but instead He allowed the disciples to experience it. After all, He would be with them. Why not prevent the storm from happening at all? He allowed the storm to occur in order to build their faith.

 

I also find it interesting because of the fear the storm caused for the disciples. I can understand the fear for the city boys. But even the “professional fishermen” (Peter, James, John, and Andrew) were very afraid, afraid they were going to die. Obviously, this storm was more severe than anything they had experienced. We have discussed fear on more than one occasion; it can be paralyzing. So they did the only thing they knew to do – they awoke Him and said to Him, ”Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” The notes in the DJSB state this, “Safety, however, is not the absence of trouble but rather, the presence of Jesus.”

 

Are any of you facing a storm right now? Are you like the disciples who wanted Jesus to wake up and take control of their storm? Christians, it is important to believe that Jesus is in the boat with you during your “storm”. You might think He is sleeping and does not know you are going through something that scares you terribly. He allowed the disciple’s storm to teach them a lesson, to increase their faith. When He did, He was present with them and was in total control. Nothing about your situation is a surprise to Him. Just like He taught the disciples He was with them to overcome their fear with their faith, He wants you to use your faith in the storm you are in or may be about to walk into. When you do, you can learn that Jesus can bring peace into your situation – no matter how difficult the storm might be.

 

More on this tomorrow.

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB.