Mark 4:37-39 - Even in Storms There is Peace in Jesus!
Mark 4:37-39 (NRSV) A great windstorm arose,
and the waves beat into the boat, so that the
boat was already being swamped. But [Jesus] was
in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they
woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you
not care that we are perishing? He woke up
and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
Peace! Be still!
COMMENTARY PEARL
These days were all being swamped by
media storms that threaten to flood us with
overstimulation and anxiety.
Friends accuse me of hiding my head in
the sand because I avoid these media storms.
They say some version of what the disciples
squawked to Jesus: Do you not care that we are
perishing? But Im not hiding; Im following Jesus.
Im following Him to the stern - the most
protected, most comfortable part of the boat.
Every day I find a place where Im not
bombarded. I say, Yes! to simple spiritual
comforts that help me ward off the anxiety swirling
around me.
How wonderful that Jesus was asleep on a
cushion! By choosing to move to the back of the boat
and lie down, Jesus positioned himself to
minimize the storms impact on His experience. And
by lying on a cushion, He was taking care of
Himself even further: adding a layer of comfort at a
time when there was chaos surrounding Him.
So whats my proverbial cushion? It may
be a ten-minute walk in a local garden or a
spontaneous dance party with my family. By following
Jesus in this practical way, my reality shifts,
and I know that Jesus is with me, saying to the
storms of today, Peace! Be still! by
Elizabeth Berne DeGear
Faith Step: Next time you feel your world
is in peril, ask Jesus to show you how to find
the stern and the cushion in your daily life.
[Mornings With Jesus 2020 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
The storm ceases. The billows sink to
rest. The clouds roll away, and the stars shine
forth. The boat rests upon a quiet sea. Then
turning to His disciples, Jesus asks sorrowfully,
"Why are ye fearful? Have ye not yet faith?"[1
R.V.].
When Jesus was awakened to meet the
storm, He was in perfect peace. There was no trace
of fear in word or look, for no fear was in His
heart. But He rested not in the possession of
almighty power. It was not as the "Master of earth
and sea and sky" that He reposed in quiet. That
power He had laid down, and He says, "I can of
Mine own self do nothing."[1 JOHN 5:30.] He
trusted in the Father's might. It was in
faith--faith in God's love and care--that Jesus rested,
and the power of that word which stilled the
storm was the power of God.
As Jesus rested by faith in the Father's
care, so we are to rest in the care of our
Saviour. If the disciples had trusted in Him, they
would have been kept in peace. Their fear in the
time of danger revealed their unbelief. In their
efforts to save themselves, they forgot Jesus; and
it was only when, in despair of
self-dependence, they turned to Him, that He could give them
help.
How often the disciple's experience is
ours! When the tempests of temptation gather, and
the fierce lightnings flash, and the waves sweep
over us, we battle with the storm alone,
forgetting that there is One who can help us. We trust
to our own strength till our hope is lost, and
we are ready to perish. Then we remember Jesus,
and if we call upon Him to save us, we shall not
cry in vain. Though He sorrowfully reproves our
unbelief and self-confidence, He never fails to give
us the help we need. Whether on the land or on
the sea, if we have the Saviour in our hearts,
there is no need of fear. Living faith in the
Redeemer will smooth the sea of life, and will
deliver us from danger in the way that He knows to
be best. DA333-7
There is another spiritual lesson in this
miracle of the stilling of the tempest. Every man's
experience testifies to the truth of the words of
Scripture, "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when
it cannot rest There is no peace, saith my
God, to the wicked."[2 Isa. 57:20, 21.] Sin has
destroyed our peace. While self is unsubdued, we can
find no rest. The masterful passions of the heart
no human power can control. We are as helpless
here as were the disciples to quiet the raging
storm. But He who spoke peace to the billows of
Galilee, has spoken the word of peace for every soul.
However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus
with the cry, "Lord, save us," will find
deliverance. His grace, that reconciles the soul to God,
quiets the strife of human passion, and in His love
the heart is at rest. "He maketh the storm a
calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then
are they glad because they be quiet; so He
bringeth them unto their desired haven."[1 Ps.
107:29, 30.] "Being justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
"The work of righteousness shall be peace, and
the effect of righteousness quietness and
assurance forever."[2 Rom. 5:1; Isa. 32:17.] DA333-7
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Hear
Me saying Peace, be still to your restless
heart. No matter what happens, I will never leave
you or forsake you. Let this assurance soak into
your mind and heart, until you overflow with Joy.
Though the earth give way and the mountains fall
into the heart of the sea, you need not fear!
The media relentlessly proclaim bad news:
for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A steady diet
of their fare will sicken you. Instead of
focusing on fickle, ever-changing news broadcasts,
tune in to the living Word - the One who is
always the same. Let Scripture saturate your mind
and heart, and you will walk steadily along the
path of Life. Even though you don't know what
will happen tomorrow, you can be absolutely sure
of your ultimate destination. I hold you by
your right hand, and afterward I will take you
into Glory. (Mark 4:39; Deu. 31:6; Psa. 46:2;
73:23, 24) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
Matthew 8:26 - Growing Faith that Works!
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20110113-1356.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor
(live now): https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (recent):
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
