²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Be Still

Some inner calm would be nice.  Jesus, you calmed the sea.  You have power over the forces which work against creation.  You created me for Shalom.  You created me for an harmonious peace and yet so often I get swept out into a raging ocean.  I want my heart and mind to be calm amidst the chaos.  You can work in me to that effect.  I know I need to eat well, sleep, and exercise to do my part of the deal.  However, I know you can undo the harm that I have done myself in chasing after things that don’t matter.  My priorities are skewed, help that to change.

From that position of inner strength help me to serve others.  Help me to get to a place of pleasant forgetfulness where self doesn’t even come to mind.

Questions

1. How is the storm described on the lake?
2. Why do you think Jesus could stay asleep?
3. How does Jesus handle the disciple’s basic fears and anxieties about the forces of nature?
4. Is Jesus in your boat?
5. How does he handle your fears?