Friday, March 5
Psalms 69:1-23(24-30)31-38, 73, 95
5 Mark 4:35-41
It was late in the day, and if Jesus was anything like most of us after a long day at work, He was ready for rest. But that’s not how His evening panned out…
He had probably just gotten comfortable in the back of the boat (The Message Bible is nice and gives Him a pillow) when His friends came flying back filled with fear (both real and imagined) and questioning whether Jesus cared if they drowned.
I love that Jesus’ reaction to their questioning came in the calming of the storm. Rather than turning to these men who have been following Him for quite some time and saying, “Look, do you really think that after all we’ve been through, after all I’ve tried to teach you, after all that I have poured into your lives that I’m really going to let you drown? Come on, man! Think about it… Really?” Instead, Jesus turns and takes the breath out of the wind. He took the problem and deflated it…
Scott Krippayne wrote a song a number of years ago that helped me to understand this passage better. There are times in our lives when we bring our problem to God and He turns around and takes the wind right out the problem. Rendering the problem down to nothing. Other times He turns to us and holds us near to His heart, while the world seemingly falls apart. Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.
Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child
KariAnn Lessner