Recently I experienced a health issue that could be very serious. It came on suddenly and I had no way of knowing what was causing it or why. I know it doesn’t sound very spiritual, but my first reaction was fear, and I’m probably not too different from most people in similar circumstances. Of course I prayed, and my fear lessened. I am still in the process of getting some medical answers.
The morning I experienced the symptoms, I read Luke 8:22-25, in my morning Bible reading. Nothing could have been more appropriate!! God is so faithful!!!
Jesus requested that his disciples get into a boat and sail to the other side of the lake and he immediately fell asleep in the boat. A severe storm arose and the boat was being swamped. Like me, their first reaction was fear. They woke Jesus and told him they were going to drown. Jesus rebuked the wind and waves and then rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith.
The disciples were not unreasonable in their fear. The Scripture says the boat was being swamped and they were in great danger. They were not imagining that!! They were in that situation because they had obeyed Jesus. He had requested that they get in the boat and sail to the other side. What they forgot was who it was who was in the boat with them: The maker of the universe, the creator of the winds!! He doesn’t send us anywhere without going with us and then calming the storm when we call upon Him.
Jesus calmed the winds and waves and then asked the disciples “Where is your faith?” That morning I felt like the Lord was asking me that same question. If I am walking in obedience, I don’t need to fear anything that might come into my life because Jesus is in the boat with me!! My situation might be serious, not a figment of my imagination, but the maker of the universe is in the boat with me!
We might feel that Jesus is not aware of our situation (asleep) but Scripture says he never sleeps or slumbers and his ears are always open to our cry (Psalms 18:6; 34:15). There are times when our most spiritual prayer is “HELP!” and we will see him calm the winds and waves.
I love the words of one of the songs we sing: “The winds and the waves still know his name.” Let’s not forget that He is in the boat with us and who He is!!
Naomi Brinkman
