Jesus in the Middle of My Storm
“With Jesus in my boat
I can smile in the storm,
smile in the storm,
smile in the storm,
When I’m sailing home.”
The animated group of children lined up in our backyard sent echoes of music through our neighbourhood, giving life to these words. Summer Bible camp so close to home always brought such delight, not only to the kiddos but to each leader.
Every time they repeated the verse, actions replaced the words. Pointing upward to Jesus, then arms stretched to create an imaginary boat, corners of their mouths turned up in exaggerated grins and wide sweeps identifying the ocean waves.
I giggled at their joy and excitement, but did they have any idea of the deep meaning of that simple tune? In fact, do I comprehend the deep truth contained in those twenty-three words depicting a popular Bible story?
Mark 4:38,39 reads: Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Can you hear the panic in the disciple’s voices as the seas roared and foamed, tossing them up and down in the watery mountains and valleys?
Can you relate? I sure can, as my first reaction to a crisis is often panic.
The God of the universe, Creator of all, rested in their boat during the raging storm.
Is that a natural or a supernatural power that allows such a response?
Jesus showed that He cared a great deal. He not only calmed the storm with Quiet! Be still, but Jesus challenged His followers in their faith.
Continuing in this text, verses 40, 41 say: He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Jesus was showing them more than His love and concern for them—He is showing them who He is, something the disciples are only beginning to understand.
And who He is supersedes my emotions, which deceive every thought I have when fear strikes.
Do we really know who He is in the storms of life?
Could it be that my takeaway from this text is to recognize His character and divine attributes, not just the calming of my storm? Sometimes our storms are calmed by the Sovereign Lord and sometimes the storm ends for us in the loss of a loved one, a job, a frightening illness.
He not only calms our storms but calms our fears in the midst of the wind and rain. And for that truth, I can smile in the storm!
