Jesus Calms the Storm

Jesus Calms the Storm

Mark 4:35-41

“Who is this man?” they asked each other.

“Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Mark 4:41b

The morning I visited the Sea of Galilee and looked eastward toward the Golan Heights, the Sea was very calm with barely a ripple on the surface. The Sea is situated in a valley and the weather is temperamental as winds funnel down through the mountains. Other than the fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, the Jews were not people of the water. They feared the sea and believed that evil, or monsters, came out of the sea. (See Daniel 7) They believed that only God was greater than the power of the sea. (See Psalms 65; 89; 93; and 107) In this passage from Mark, I imagine the disciples were incredulous that Jesus curled up and took a nap as they sailed across the Sea. The disciples kept a careful watch for the dangers they knew lurked in the Sea.

Although the disciples had witnessed Jesus perform miraculous healings, and even the raising of a boy from the dead, those memories faded into the background when the storm struck and all the fears they associated with the sea became very real. They knew they were about to die, and snoozing Jesus didn’t even seem to care.

Jesus calmed the storm in a demonstration of his authority over all creation and asked his disciples “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). In the face of a very real peril threatening the disciples, Jesus’ questions seem harsh. Jesus’ words needed to be strong because they were an invitation for the disciples to process something more terrifying than their fear of the sea: “The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41).

It is Jesus, who has been “given authority, honor, and sovereignty” over all creation (Daniel 7:13-14) for whom even the wind and sea obey.

In this season of social separation and quarantines, I invite you to join me in this devotional exercise.

What do you identify as your greatest fear?

Let’s take a moment and concentrate on your fear and allow yourself to feel your anxiety.

Now, in your mind’s eye look up and see Jesus walking to you.

See him sit next to you.

With his presence so close to you, erase any preconceived notions you have about your fear, and drop any assumptions you may have about what Jesus may say about your fear, or what he may do.

Sit quietly in his presence and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to our soul.

Remember, the person in the boat with the disciples was Jesus.  The disciples didn’t have to be afraid.



Neither do I.



Neither do you.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.