Hope in the Storms

It has been said that we are at one of four points in life: Either between storms, going into a storm, being in the middle of a storm, or coming out of a storm.

In Matt 8, as well as in Mark 4 and Luke 8,  we find a story of the complete cycle.  Let’s look at Matthew 8 beginning with verse 23.

Matt. 8:23    Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. ²⁴ Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

Matt. 8:26    Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

Matt. 8:27    The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!””(Matthew 8:23–27 NLT-SE)

Now let’s read it again in  Mark 4.  

Mark 4:35    As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” ³⁶ So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). ³⁷ But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Mark 4:38    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?”

Mark 4:39    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. ⁴⁰ Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:41    The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

 

Did you notice the subtle differences in Mark?  Especially in the cry and attitudes of the disciples.  Keep in mind, that the book of Mark is the recorded stories of Peter as written by John Mark.  So you start to see a little bit of the personality and memories of the different disciples and what they were thinking at the time.  We’ll come back to that in moment.

To round out our picture, let’s go to Luke 8.  

Luke 8:22    One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. ²³ As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.

Luke 8:24    The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”   When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm.

²⁵ Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”  The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

So now that we have three versions of the story, let’s piece them together and see if we get a little bit more understanding on this passage, and perhaps something that can help us today.

The disciples were peacefully going across the lake.  Jesus is exhausted so He lays down in the back of the boat and goes to sleep.  Suddenly, without any real warning, the storm breaks.  And this is a storm to beat all storms.

They are struggling against the oars, they are bailing like mad and they are panicked out of their minds. Those hardy fishermen had spent their lives on the lake, and had guided their boats through many a storm; but against this storm, their strength and skill are worthless.  They are helpless in the face of this tempest and their hope began to fade as their boat began filling with water.

Absorbed in their efforts to save themselves, they had forgotten that Jesus was on board.  Sound like anyone you know?  Not until they came to the end of their strength and they could see death staring them in the face, did they remember that somewhere in the boat was the One who could help them.  They call out for Him, but they hear no answer.  Just more wind and more waves to the face.  

And now, doubt jumps on top of fear and rides deep into their souls. Had Jesus forgotten them?  Was the One who had healed diseases and opened blinded eyes not able to help His own disciples now?  Have you noticed that we often do the same?  In God’s silence, we often listen to our doubts.

The book Desire of Ages says that a flash of lightning revealed the sleeping Savior and they are incredulous.  How can He sleep through this?  So they woke Him by screaming above the tempest, as recorded in Mark 4:38 (and remember, this is Peter’s version of the story)   “Teacher, Don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”   

Now, I have put this question in the category “stupid questions asked by the disciples”.   Do you think Jesus cared if they drowned?  Of course He did.  Because these men were to be the ones that carried His message to the world.  Of course He cared, but, as we said earlier, in God’s silence, we often listen to our doubts.  

First, forgetting Jesus was in the boat, and then, secondly, not hearing anything from God, they instantly jumped to the conclusion that God didn’t care.  Some things never change do they?  Ever done that? 

So they cry out to Jesus… “Don’t YOU CARE that we’re going to drown???”  Notice…to their reality, this is a foregone conclusion.  They had fully assessed the situation and decided that it was hopeless AND that somehow God didn’t care one whit about them.

There is no indication from either Matthew, Mark or Luke’s account that they wanted Him to do anything more than start rowing or bailing—but I believe they also knew that HE was where their hope lay.  Mathew’s account says that they screamed, “Lord save us: we’re going to drown!”  And I like what the book Desire of Ages says on page 335 “Never did a soul utter that cry unheeded.”  

Let’s go back to our text in Matthew 8.  V. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”(Matthew 8:25–27 NLT-SE)

I love this story for a lot of reasons. First, it reminds us that no matter what storm we are going through, Jesus is still in the boat with us, and He has the power to control everything. Check this out-as fearful as the disciples were in the middle of the storm, they were even more fearful and amazed that the elements that they had feared only moments before, were totally at the beck and call of this man with whom they traveled.

Second, He is a God of surprises. When the disciples shouted out 

“Lord, save us!”, I’m sure the last solution on their minds was that He would simply get up and rebuke the storm and it would cease. They were probably hoping for the supernatural, to be sure...but they were not expecting that. 

Third, Jesus left them with more questions than answers. “Who IS this Man???” We were afraid of the storm before...but THIS Man is GREATER than the storm! That storm was NO MATCH for Him. We thought we were stuck in the clenches of the power of the storm...but the storm was nothing...compared to HIM. 

But as cool as this story is, it occurred to me that this story could either increase our faith or Satan could use it to defeat our faith. What? Let me explain. 

On the one hand, we can see a God who has absolute control of the elements...yet seems to let us down when it comes to OUR current crisis at hand. I had faith...didn’t I? And we focus in on the question Jesus asked them, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” And we squint harder and repeat, “I believe, help my unbelief!!” 

We forget that it was not the disciples faith that caused Jesus to act. It was His goodness and grace, seeking to teach them that He could be trusted in the days and weeks ahead. 

We don’t stop to think that maybe there were other nights on the lake where the storms surrounded them and Jesus DIDN’T calm the storm...but allowed them to go through it. 

Their faith was not the answer to the problem. It was only the answer to the peace that was to be had as they faced the problem. Faith isn’t always about getting the outcome you want. Faith is about trusting that the outcome you receive will better prepare you for the way ahead. Faith is about trusting that one way, or the other, God will get you through the storm and you can be at peace in the middle of it because you trust that God has got you. 

Yes...Jesus CAN bring you the miracle, the healing, the whatever your prayer is...and sometimes He does. To quote singer/songwriter Scott Krippayne, “Sometimes He calms the storm, and other times he calms His child.” 

Sometimes He allows us to face the hard stuff so that we can learn that it is NOT our desired outcomes He is most concerned with, so much as our relationship and our trust in Him for the Journey ahead. 

That storm you are in...will you trust Him with it just now? He’s the God of surprises...so who knows how He will answer...but it will always be a way that can make you stronger and growing closer to Him if you let it. 

I pray peace for your daily journey.