And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39
In Mark chapter 4, the disciples sail Into a storm, while Jesus sleeps in the boat. They wake Him, because of their fear of being killed in the storm. Jesus awoke and with the sound of His voice, ceased the wind and rain.
We are in a pretty incredible storm right now, some might even liken it to a tsunami.
These times are certainly trying on all of us. Fear, anxiety and paranoia are running rampant, even in the followers of Christ. We too are experiencing a Tsunami…a spiritual tsunami.
If I had experienced a storm like this, prior to knowing Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I would have been inconsolable. This storm would have blown, tossed and shipwrecked me.
But now that I do have a personal relationship with Him, He is my comforter.
There are a few things we must remember when storms come….in Jeremiah 29:11 God says “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans go give you hope and a future”. Our God has plans for us, plans that will prosper us. Remember that His desire is not to harm us, but to comfort and guide us.
Now, does that mean that we will have lives of luxury and ease Or that we Will never get ill? Of course not!
In John 16 – Jesus is coming close to the time of the cross and He tells His disciples that a time is coming when they will abandon Him and He will be left alone. Then He says, “But I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”.
We will face trials, we feel as though we have been left alone, we will have heart ache and struggles, but take heart….remember that our Lord has overcome this world and just as our Heavenly Father never left Jesus alone, if we trust Christ as our Lord and Savior, He won’t leave us either. Therefore, we may suffer for a little while in this life (which is fleeting) but because of the supernatural peace that Christ offers us, the presence of our Heavenly Father in our lives and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we can face tomorrow with FAITH!
Remember that not only does our Heavenly Father offer us peace and comfort in the storms of this life, but, through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus, He also offers us peace and joy, in the presence of our Savior, for eternity. No more tears, no more trials, no more heartache, no more viruses and no more pain!
The initial verse that appears in our post today appears in all 4 of the Gospels. It speaks to a day when Jesus spoke to the multitudes, telling them parables. At the end of the day Jesus told the disciples that they should “go across to the other side”. So, He and the disciples left the crowd behind and got in the boat to cross over the water. As they crossed a great windstorm arose and the waves came in to the boat and it was filling up. But Jesus was sound asleep. The disciples woke Jesus and said to Him “Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?” And Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. Jesus then said to the disciples “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
That is a beautiful picture of what He wants to do for us in this, and every, storm.
God wants to calm the wind and waves. But just like the disciples, we have to stop doubting and have faith. We have to trust Him, no matter how much water comes in our boat. And we have to remember that sometimes our greatest trials become our greatest testimonies. I have ministered to, evangelized and given testimony to more people in my life, about the trials and storms that God has brought me through and rescued me from than in any other way.
So whether we are facing a Tsunami caused by a pandemic virus today or some other storm tomorrow, we serve a Risen Savior who, with the sound of His voice, can calm the wind and waves of our storms. Pray, trust, have faith and lean on Him.
I pray that today we would trust our Heavenly Father to calm the wind and waves in this storm. I pray that He would fill us with Joy, Peace and Comfort and that we would go into the world and share it with Those who are hurting and fearful.
If God could speak creation into being, He can certainly defeat a virus and quiet our fears.
If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and you are in turmoil during these anxious times, I pray that you will go to our Life Preserver page (Forgiven-N-Loved.com/lifepreserver) and pray the prayer outlined there. God desires to forgive, love and comfort you. Let Him!
Praying that we are all able to rest in the comfort and peace of the Lord today and that we would give Him the glory for the peace, comfort and joy that we experience.
Luv ya!
