Even the Wind & Waves Obey

 

A real storm came up for the disciples. It was a furious squall with gigantic waves that were filling the boat. The Sea of Galilee is 628 feet below sea level and is surrounded by mountains with deep ravines. The gorges serve as giant funnels creating strong winds on the lake without any notice. The disciples despite the fact that many of them were experienced sailors were fearful of drowning. Mark says, Jesus was sleeping in the stern during the storm. They awoke him and let their fear be known: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:37-38).

What is remarkable is that while the disciples were worried for their lives and the boat was being tossed on the waves Jesus was fast asleep on the hard floor of the boat. How exhausted he must have been. What a contrast, here is the Jesus asleep in a weary human body but in a few moments we would rebuke the waves and winds.

The disciples made a mistake that we often make. They felt alone. They felt that Jesus would not help them. We sometimes feel we are alone and that we are going through the storm by ourselves. We mistakenly believe that no one knows what we are going though or how we feel. Nothing could be further from the truth. God knows everything about us and every storm that comes our way.

When we have God in the boat we will be secure. They had everything they needed but they forgot the most important thing they needed to know. Jesus was onboard. Mark continues:

"Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm (Mark 4:38-39).

Imagine the scene as the disciples frantically wake up Jesus and tell him they are about to drown and question whether he even cares. Then Jesus took over. He said “Hush” to the wind and the waves. Jesus muzzled the wind and told the waves to be still and both obeyed him. Can you imagine the reaction of the disciples in seeing this? He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:40-41).

The disciples never forgot this moment and their faith grew because of it. They were still figuring out who Jesus was but their faith took a giant leap that day as they saw Jesus speak to the wind and the waves and they obeyed him. There are lessons for us to learn from this story. He does have power over the elements but he also sends us into the storms to test our faith.

Thirsty

 

Isaiah cuts to the chase as he talks to his people about their worship. The people were worshiping, but their worship was not about God; it was about them. They were going through the form but have yet to make any real effort. Giving God less than your best is not worship. The prophet voices God’s words, “But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses” (Isa 43:24).

God found their worship wearisome. He said his people had become impatient with their worship and a burden to endure. They were coming with unrepentant hearts, which offended God, and their worship became irksome to God.

It didn’t matter how many or how much the people were sacrificing; it was unacceptable to God. He wants his people to be unburdened of their sin and desirous of meeting with him, and yet they were coming to his temple with a burden and leaving burdened. God says, “I have not burdened you.” They brought their sin and left with their sin. They came with their worries and went away with them.

God intended that worship should unburden the sinner and that it lift and free us from our bondage and disappointment. When we serve God out of obligation and self-dependence, we not only do not find freedom in worship but also insult God. God promised to send his presence to his people, but only to the thirsty, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants” (Isa 44:3).

God offers to pour his spirit on us. He doesn’t have to. We don’t deserve it, but he offers it anyway—that’s grace. The grace of God only ministers to the humble and the thirsty. Only the thirsty receive when God pours his spirit out.

When we are thirsty, we become dependent on God because we come to know him as “… Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first, and I am the last; apart from me, there is no God. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” (Isa 44:6-8). They know him; he alone is their source of strength and joy. They don’t look to anyone or anywhere else for satisfaction in this life. They know God is their redeemer; he is the LORD God Almighty—the first and the last. He is their Rock—their only Rock.

Follow Me

 

The scene on the shore of the Sea of Galilee in John 21 is one of the most sacred scenes in the Bible. There Christ engaged Peter in a conversation in front of the others. Christ’s repeated questions affirmed and restored the fisherman’s confidence. Jesus helped heal Peter’s, broken heart. Peter could finally forgive himself for his failure. Who doesn’t need that today? 

Jesus restored Peter’s faith and told him to take care of his flock three times. As they were walking down the shoreline, Peter saw John and asked, “Lord, what about him?” That was typical, Peter! Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:22). Follow me, Peter! Don’t worry about John. That is our problem because we are so prone to make comparisons that are not helpful. Sometimes following Christ will be difficult, as Jesus warned Peter. Sometimes following Christ means we have to go against the current of public opinion.

Some Christians today are afraid to share their faith or speak out against evil for fear of suffering adverse consequences. The following story, told by Pastor Laurence White, tells of the guilt of Christians in Germany who regretted not doing more to stop the Nazi movement.

The SS Guards at the Mohabit City Prison were given a list of those who were not allowed to survive the downfall of Nazism because they knew too much. Albrick Halshoffer’s name was included on the list. That morning, seven or eight prisoners were taken out of their cells. They were told they were about to be released. Each of the prisoners was assigned an SS Guard and led out to the tear garden park in the city of Berlin. As they came to the middle of that park, out of sight from anyone else, each guard stepped up to the prisoner assigned to him and shot them in the back of the head. The bodies were abandoned in the snow and mud.

Later Albrick’s brother heard rumors of what had happened, and he hurried into the park to search for his brother’s body. He found it there with a blood-stained sheet of paper clutched in his hand. Written on that piece of paper was a poem Halshoffer had composed just a few hours before his execution. It was entitled “I am guilty.” “The burden of my guilt,” the condemned man wrote, “before the law weighs light upon my shoulders, to plot and conspire was my duty to the people. I would have been a criminal had I not. I am guilty, although not in the way you think. I should have done my duty sooner. I was wrong; I should have called the evil sooner by its name. I hesitated to condemn for far too long. I now accuse myself within my own heart. I have betrayed my conscience for far too long. I have deceived myself and my fellow man. I knew the course of evil from its start. My warning was not loud enough or clear enough. Today as I die, I know what I am guilty of.