Jesus Calms the Seas

Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake” (Luke 8:22). The crowds had been large and the demand of the people great, and now it was time to end the long day as they enjoyed the ride over the lake. Then suddenly, the beautiful tranquil lake became the center of a terrific storm. The winds caused huge waves that hurled their boat up and down leaving the disciples panic stricken.

While living in Corrientes, Argentina, a colleague and I with our sons went fishing on the Parana River. We fished for the famous Dorado and Surubi. At first we caught nothing, then as the day worn on we finally caught some magnificent fish. Abruptly however, the wind came up, and the waves started to rock the boat. We decided it was time to head to shore when the motor quit causing us to feel panic. The swift current carried us swiftly downstream, and we were over a half mile from shore. Our hope was a coast guard station up ahead. If they didn’t see us, we would be in for a long ride while fighting the lapping waves. I took off my vest and started waving it back and forth, and fortunately a coast guard boat showed up and towed us to shore. We were immensely thankful to be on land after facing such a scary moment on the water.

The storm in the disciples’ lives was a test, just as the wilderness had been a test for the Israelites. Without life’s difficulties we would never grow spiritually, and our walk with God would be so shallow. Some of the tests we face are when we hear the words you have cancer. It could be when you find out a son or daughter is on drugs. It might be when your marriage comes apart. What about when you lose your job and can’t get another one. Then sometimes it’s when you have been hurt so deeply you can’t get over it. It could even be when you lose a loved one and the sadness just won’t go away.

Jesus, asleep in the stern, was absolutely remarkable. While the boat had taken its beating and the disciples had been plunged into dark despair, Jesus was resting from his extreme weariness. Remaining asleep on this day clearly demonstrates his humanity but also his trust in his father. It was how he lived. This is as great of an example of his incarnation as there is. In one moment he is totally human with all his frailty of fatigue, and the next he is totally God with all his omnipotence over all of creation.

The storm brought fear to the disciples: The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" (Luke 8:24). The disciple’s words openly display their inner thoughts and feelings. They were paralyzed with fear that they were going to die. Fear of death is our greatest fear, and it haunts us our entire lives. They were convinced that all was lost, but how wrong they were.

Jesus rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and the storm subsided, and all was calm (Luke 8:24). No more fierce wind because it immediately stopped and there was an incredible calm. Nothing could have compared to this experience. Jesus asked his disciples "Where is your faith?" Their faith had been overcome by their fear, but now they can see what they couldn’t see a few moments before: “In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him" (Luke 8:25). Jesus can calm any storm because he is Lord of Creation. He calmed the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, but he also calms those storms in our lives if we trust him.