In the Middle of the Storm

There are few feelings more terrifying than being in a situation where you are absolutely helpless. Helplessness has been on my mind a lot lately. I think about the Ukrainians who never know when they will be bombed, about the Americans in the South who had tornados rip apart their homes, about the Americans in the West struggling with a devastating drought. Although we like to feel that we’re in control of our computer-driven world, it only takes a moment to show us how powerless we truly are.

In our passage today, the disciples are in a boat in the middle of a storm. Luke writes, “the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger” (vs. 23). Talk about being in a helpless situation; try being in a little boat in the middle of a big storm! Frantically, the disciples called to Jesus, who was fast asleep. Awakened, Jesus “rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided and all was calm” (vs. 24). This word Greek word translated “rebuked” is used primarily in the Gospels; eight out of the 29 times the word is used, it has to do with Jesus rebuking evil spirits, a fever, or the wind and waves because these are all His to command. The disciples, astonished by Jesus' power, exclaim, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him” (vs. 25).

The joy of the Gospel is that those of us who have accepted Jesus are now God’s beloved children, and we belong to the One who commands storms and stars and galaxies. Jesus says, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). The challenge for us is to remember that even in the storm, Jesus is there. We may not be spared the struggles of the storm, but we will never be lost. We are eternally secure in the hand of Almighty God, and in the middle of a storm, there’s no safer place to be.

Lenten reading for today: Luke 8:23-25

Photo from https://pixabay.com/photos/storm-ocean-waves-storm-clouds-sea-7018311/