Sea
 of Galilee 

Where is Jesus in the Storm?

“Lord where are you?”  This is my cry in the storms we are enduring in our lives at this time.  Living in the fear that the waves of sickness and disease will overpower us and we will be tossed by fever, aches, coughs and other painful symptoms of this Coronavirus (Covid 19).  Will we drown in the throes of this unseen enemy?  Will it sweep us off our feet and into a hospital bed?  Lord, can you hear me crying out to you to calm this disease and take it away? 

In the midst of  fighting this disease, we are staying at home, going to stores when necessary, wearing masks over our nose and mouth, keeping at least 6 feet from other people, and avoiding people if at all possible.  People without masks or getting closer than we like are looked at with suspicion and often anger.  We have become isolated in our fears of contracting this disease. 

For some, isolation leads to depression, loneliness, and anger.  Others will become accustomed to this isolated life and not want to leave home when the restrictions are removed. Lord, where are you in our time of loneliness, fear and anger?  Why can’t you hear us?

Matthew 8 recounts a time in the life of Jesus and his disciples  when he heard their pleas and stilled a storm. Jesus had been teaching, healing all day by the Sea of Galilee to a large crowd of people.  They had been following him for several days and Jesus gave of himself over and over to fill their physical needs and taught them with parables to fill their spiritual needs. 

Being pressed by the crowd, Jesus got into a boat to continue teaching until he was completely exhausted.  Can you not see his drooping shoulders, hear his rasping voice and see his hands and legs trembling? He stumbled to the stern of the boat, sat down, put his head on a pillow, stretched out and fell into a deep sleep.  

Matthew recounted the event in this way:

“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!”

I can see the disciples bailing water out of the boat as the waves washed over the sides, sweat running down their faces, fear causing them to panic and bail faster.  They knew they were in danger of being engulfed by the waves as the boat sank and would lose their lives in the deep, dark waters of The Sea of Galilee.  

During all this frantic activity, Jesus was sleeping soundly!  Can you imagine the dismay on their faces as they looked at each other and then at this man sleeping while they were in danger?  What was his problem? Was he deaf to their cries?  Did he not care? 

Shaking Jesus awake, they screamed above the howling winds “Lord, save us for we are going to drown.” Jesus looked at them with tired eyes and asked, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” 

Then he looked out over the stormy sea and told the waves to be calm and they became calm.  The winds stopped howling in fury, and I believe Jesus went back to sleep.  

These men who had walked and talked with Jesus. Heard his teachings asked “Who is this man that the sea and the winds obey his commands?”  Where have they been?  

Where have we been?  We have the Bible to tell us that Jesus knows our every thought, knows where we have been, where we are, and what we are facing tomorrow.  We are his children, living in his kingdom, and have the blessing to talk to him in prayer all the time.  He is in the boat with us!!

He has heard me every time I asked Him to remove this terrible disease.  He knows mine and your frustrations and fears.  He knows how afraid we are of being sick or possibly dying and could and will calm this “storm” when it is time.

Why has he allowed this period of sickness and death to sweep our world?  I don’t know but I do know He is in the boat with us and will comfort us and give us peace as we ride out the storm.

Psalm 4:8 (ESV):”In peace I will both lie down and sleep;  for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” John 16:33 (ESV): 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

What more do we need?  These 2 promises tell us that we can lie down and sleep in peace for we will be safe,  He has overcome the world and won that victory for us. 

Where are you Lord?  Right here with us.  He will calm the storms in our lives and give us peace so we can face the storms of life with the knowledge he is here in the boat with us. 
Amen and amen

Frances 

Sea of Galilee