Don’t You Care

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!" Mark 4:35-41

Ancient Boat salvaged from near the Sea of Galilee

Israel 

Imagine that you are out in a boat—big enough to hold several people—but not exactly a yacht. A storm comes up and the boat is tossed about rocking and lunging through the massive waves. To top it off, it is dark and scary—no lights except a weak oil lamp that is also rocking and tossing about. Is the wind going to blow out that lamp? You are scared. What if the boat is submerged by a great wave? You wouldn’t have been out in this storm except Jesus said to cross to the other side of the lake—better known as the Sea of Galilee. Now Jesus is sleeping through it all. He must have been really tired. The disciples ask don’t you care and Jesus responds… Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith? What would your response be? Faith? The disciples had never seen anyone calm a storm before this.

Are you afraid when you face storms in life? I sure am…but I know that I am not alone…Jesus is with me. I have faith that He has the power to overcome any scary problem or situation I may come up against. He gave the disciples a great lesson that day and they got another glimpse of Jesus and His power. He calmed the storm. God has promised us, as He told the Israelites through Moses before they crossed into the Promised Land…Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you." Deuteronomy 31:8.  What a great promise. Additionally, Jesus promised…And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. John 14:16. The Holy Spirit—that Advocate—is continually with us. God has got us covered. We are not alone. Do you intentionally seek the presence of Jesus…or the Holy Spirit…in your life on a daily basis?

Prayer ~ Holy Spirit, come close to each of us today…filling us with Your love and power—keeping discouragement and fear far from us.

Daily Bible Reading: Mark 4-5

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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