A Real Storm Needs A Real Jesus
Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. (Matthew 8:23-27 NLT)
Growing Up with the Story
I grew up in church all my life, and I’ve heard this story countless times, told with flannel graph pictures on a felt background (I am really telling my age!) I’ve experienced it with coloring sheets depicting Jesus standing in the middle of the storm, hand raised, frantic disciples, and the boat swaying. I read about it in those colored leaflets the teacher sent home with us—and they all focus on the storm.
But today, when I read it, multiple years later, minus the flannel board and crayons, my focus went to a different place. “Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples…” Did you see the difference? Before one drop of rain appeared, before one cloud floated into the sky, before one flash of lightning came out of nowhere, Jesus got into the boat with his disciples.
Jesus Does Life with Us
There is nothing in the passage that makes us think it is going to be an ominous day, nothing that alludes to the fact that Jesus thought, “The weatherman doesn’t know it yet, but a big storm is coming, if I know these guys—and I do—they will freak out, so I’d better go with them.” The writer doesn’t tell us anything like that. Just as if it were the most normal thing in the world, Jesus gets into the boat with His disciples and simply does life with them.
And He does the same for us.
When you woke up this morning, He was waiting for you.
When you ate your breakfast and drank your coffee, He was ready for some morning conversation.
When you laid your head on the pillow last night, He was watching over you.
Jesus is with you in every single part of your day. Take a moment to sit in the reality of that truth.
When Storms Hit Out of Nowhere
But there is the other part of the story; the part that we all know so well. “Suddenly a fierce storm struck the lake…” There it is—out of nowhere, unexpected, unprepared, a fierce storm threatened what should have been a routine trip to the next stop. Sound familiar?
The phone call that wakes you up at 3:00 in the morning with words you weren’t ready to hear.
The text message from a friend that leaves you reeling and speechless.
The voice of the doctor echoing the word, “cancer.”
You fill in the blank. We’ve all been in the boat, enjoying the peaceful conversation to have it wrecked by an unexpected and relentless storm.
Interpreting His Silence
But let’s go back to the first part of the scripture. “Jesus got into the boat…” Those words jar the disciples to their senses until they look around and find that Jesus is indeed in the boat, but He’s sleeping.
So the disciples do exactly what I do when I find myself in the middle of impossible circumstances. They cried out, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” They interpreted His silence to mean that He didn’t care about them.
How many times have I felt this way? Unexplainable things happen in life. Very bad things happen to very good people, and I’m confronted with my view of God.
If God exists, why does He allow this?
If He’s all-powerful, why doesn’t He stop it?
If He loves me, why is He silent?
The last question is the worst out of all of the options. Knowing that He exists and has the power to do whatever His voice declares makes His inactivity in my life feel cold, apathetic, and cruel. What kind of loving God does that?
OR what if there’s another option?
What If the Storm Doesn’t Scare Him?
What if Jesus just isn’t bothered by the storm because He knows that it holds no power over Him or me? “What is a real storm to a real Jesus?” If the storm doesn’t bother Jesus, then why should it bother me?
Learning From Jesus’ Example
Jesus is our role model, the One we pattern our lives after. To find the answer to life’s unexpected and unwanted challenges, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus. What did Jesus do when the storm came? He rested.
“There remains a rest for the people of God.” Jesus knew that we would be prone to panic when the storm blows in. Who wouldn’t? Maybe that is why He took so much time teaching us about peace, rest, and faith.
“My peace I leave with you, not as the world gives do I give to you…”
“Come unto me, all you who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest…”
“Why are you afraid? You have so little faith.”
Remember Who’s in the Boat
When the storm hits out of nowhere, and it will, don’t forget who is in the boat with you. He is there all the time, even when you are too busy to notice. And don’t confuse His silence for apathy. Follow His example, rest in it. “What is a real storm to a real Jesus or one of Jesus’ real kids?”