we're all going to die...
It was late and stormy. It's hard to sleep with the thunder pounding and the lightening flashing, much less being tossed about fiercely by the waves. Nausea probably filled their stomachs. A combination of fear and seasickness. The storm had come out of nowhere, almost as if it magically appeared. Violent tossing back and forth, back and forth. What once seemed like a strong, protective sea vessel now seemed like child's bath toy, so helpless and insignificant compared to the strength of the beating waves. Their senses felt heightened, I'm sure. Fear has a way of doing that. Magnifying emotions to a point that they almost feel uncontrollable, overwhelming, permanent. This was it. The end. Their end. They just knew it. This storm was too big and too powerful, and each of them were eaten up with worry. Men who had spent their days working and laboring along side Jesus. The leaders. The strong ones. The chosen ones. They were afraid for their lives.
But Jesus wasn't.
He was sleeping. In the same violent storm. Inside the same boat being tossed among the waves. How could he be sleeping?
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you." (Isaiah 26:3)
They woke him. Shivering, screaming, they said, "Teacher, do you not care that we are about to die?" (Mark 4:38) Water dripping down their pale faces. Voices cracking and straining over the sounds of the storm. Fear filled eyes fixed on their leader. Minds full of questions and mouths that weren't shy of asking.
Do you not care that we are terrified and scared out of our minds? That are lives are in jeopardy here, hanging in the balance? That we are completely out of control and at the mercy of these overpowering waves? Do you not care that our well being is being threatened? That we're about to be swallowed up alive in this storm?
He stood up wearing the same amount of confidence and assurance that he always bore. No fear in his eyes. No racing pulse. No panicked voice. No worry was painted on his face.
"Quiet! Be still." (Mark 4:39)
And so it was. Silent. Immediately. Completely calm. His spoken word, and it was so. Just as it was in the beginning. God said, and it was. And a thing hadn't changed since. The Word, the one who was with God in the beginning, the one who was God in flesh, spoke and it was. The violent storm, the raging winds, the surging seas had nothing on him. They were in submission to him. Their power didn't hold a candle to his power. In fact, without him, they would cease to exist, too. After all, through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3) The creator's creation had no choice but to listen. To be quiet. To be still. And to obey.
The men were silenced, too. Afraid to speak. In awe. In shock. In total and complete gratitude. They had been spared from this storm. Turning to them he said, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:40)
As they worried for their lives, they approached the author, the perfecter, the creator, and the giver of life, not with a cry for help but with screams of panic and fear. With zero faith that the one who they had watched rescue countless people from overwhelming storms of their own would be able to save them from capsizing and going under. That he could actually be the solution to their problem. That he would have an answer and a mighty way to save. It didn't seem to cross their minds. And I don't know about you, but I have often found myself in the same boat (no pun intended) as the disciples fearfully screaming in the midst of the storm, "Don't you care?"
But the truth is, Jesus did care. He cared greatly. After all, he had chosen to get on that boat with them fully knowing what was ahead. And the truth was, they were going to die. All of them were going to die, and they were beginning to taste the reality of what Jesus already knew. That there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven, a time to be born and a time to die. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2) Their lives may not end in that storm, but eventually, they would die. Just like the rest of us. And Jesus cared very much about that. More than the storm, more than saving their physical lives, Jesus cared about saving their souls. He cared that they lived. Not just that they walked off that boat safely but that they lived the abundant life he came to give them. The abundant life that would lead to eternal life with him. Jesus cared. Jesus still cares.
And not only would Jesus prove his care for them on that boat by ensuring they arrived to the shore safely in one piece, but he would prove it as he allowed his body to be beaten and hung on a cross. To die in their place, a death they deserved. Not just for the disciples but for all humankind. For anyone who would choose to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. He willingly laid down his life and paid the penalty for our sins, tasted the sting of death, and defeated the power of the grave. Because Jesus knew that all people were made for eternity - an eternity with him or an eternity apart from him. And so he made the first move, conquered death, and gave us a choice of faith over fear because He cared so very, very much.
"In this world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world [my conquest is accomplished, my victory abiding]." - John 16:33(AMP)
But Jesus wasn't.
He was sleeping. In the same violent storm. Inside the same boat being tossed among the waves. How could he be sleeping?
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you." (Isaiah 26:3)
They woke him. Shivering, screaming, they said, "Teacher, do you not care that we are about to die?" (Mark 4:38) Water dripping down their pale faces. Voices cracking and straining over the sounds of the storm. Fear filled eyes fixed on their leader. Minds full of questions and mouths that weren't shy of asking.
Do you not care that we are terrified and scared out of our minds? That are lives are in jeopardy here, hanging in the balance? That we are completely out of control and at the mercy of these overpowering waves? Do you not care that our well being is being threatened? That we're about to be swallowed up alive in this storm?
He stood up wearing the same amount of confidence and assurance that he always bore. No fear in his eyes. No racing pulse. No panicked voice. No worry was painted on his face.
"Quiet! Be still." (Mark 4:39)
And so it was. Silent. Immediately. Completely calm. His spoken word, and it was so. Just as it was in the beginning. God said, and it was. And a thing hadn't changed since. The Word, the one who was with God in the beginning, the one who was God in flesh, spoke and it was. The violent storm, the raging winds, the surging seas had nothing on him. They were in submission to him. Their power didn't hold a candle to his power. In fact, without him, they would cease to exist, too. After all, through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3) The creator's creation had no choice but to listen. To be quiet. To be still. And to obey.
The men were silenced, too. Afraid to speak. In awe. In shock. In total and complete gratitude. They had been spared from this storm. Turning to them he said, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:40)
As they worried for their lives, they approached the author, the perfecter, the creator, and the giver of life, not with a cry for help but with screams of panic and fear. With zero faith that the one who they had watched rescue countless people from overwhelming storms of their own would be able to save them from capsizing and going under. That he could actually be the solution to their problem. That he would have an answer and a mighty way to save. It didn't seem to cross their minds. And I don't know about you, but I have often found myself in the same boat (no pun intended) as the disciples fearfully screaming in the midst of the storm, "Don't you care?"
But the truth is, Jesus did care. He cared greatly. After all, he had chosen to get on that boat with them fully knowing what was ahead. And the truth was, they were going to die. All of them were going to die, and they were beginning to taste the reality of what Jesus already knew. That there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven, a time to be born and a time to die. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2) Their lives may not end in that storm, but eventually, they would die. Just like the rest of us. And Jesus cared very much about that. More than the storm, more than saving their physical lives, Jesus cared about saving their souls. He cared that they lived. Not just that they walked off that boat safely but that they lived the abundant life he came to give them. The abundant life that would lead to eternal life with him. Jesus cared. Jesus still cares.
And not only would Jesus prove his care for them on that boat by ensuring they arrived to the shore safely in one piece, but he would prove it as he allowed his body to be beaten and hung on a cross. To die in their place, a death they deserved. Not just for the disciples but for all humankind. For anyone who would choose to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. He willingly laid down his life and paid the penalty for our sins, tasted the sting of death, and defeated the power of the grave. Because Jesus knew that all people were made for eternity - an eternity with him or an eternity apart from him. And so he made the first move, conquered death, and gave us a choice of faith over fear because He cared so very, very much.
"In this world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world [my conquest is accomplished, my victory abiding]." - John 16:33(AMP)
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