Mark 4:35-41
Jesus Calms the Storm
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
"Don't you care?", the disciples ask Jesus...I think this question comes up more than once in our lifetime...The question comes up more often when we are in trouble times, suffering, or in a fearful situation, like the Twelve were in...God cares...He sent His Son to die for us and our sins, when He could condemned us...God LOVES us...
Jesus did not answer His Disciples about the question about caring...He could have said "Yes", or "Yes, I do", or "Yes, of course"...He chooses not to answer...Instead He talks to the wind and waves and tells them to be quiet...The wind died down immediately...Jesus saved His Disciples from the storm...
Life does not come without fear...It seems life comes and we have times of faith, and short times of fear (and trouble and suffering)... This happens throughout ones life...
The disciples ask for help...Jesus helped them...They would have learned that He in the stern and sleeping on the cushion...The disciples were awake, in a panic, the wind blowing all around, the storm was a "furious squall", the waves pounding on the boat...It was a natural emotion to be fearful...But Jesus did not fear...Jesus trusted in the LORD...Knowing through one's faith that God is present keeps fear from getting out of control...The Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son...There is nothing the Trinity cannot do...
Does God care?...Of course He does...He stopped the wind and the waves...The Twelve were saved...If He did not care He would have not saved them, been with them, or taught them...
Jesus was with them...Jesus, the Son, is called Immanuel, which mean God with us (Matthew 1:23)...The Twelve were not like Him, in their ability to relax and sleep in a fearful time...God does not promise a life without trouble, suffering, or fear...But His spirit is there, He is with us...We must search and learn that even thoug we do not understand where or how, He is there...
The better question during this boat ride, was in the verse at the end..."Who is this?"...St. Luke does not give us this answer... But we know Jesus was with them, and storms do come up at times...A calm life can only be lived with the One who even the wind and waves obey...