On the same day, when evening had come, He [Jesus] said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’

Mark 4:35-38, NKJV

How quickly things change! In a moment, in the blink of an eye, the unexpected happens. Plans made long ago are shattered. What had been an exciting and adventurous future is now altered irrevocably due to the unforeseen that has now crashed into our personal arena.

Can you imagine how the disciples must have felt? Jesus has instructed them to get into a boat and then sail to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They did as He said, obediently following His instructions. Soon after the journey begins, Jesus, exhausted from the days activities, falls asleep.

It wasn’t long before the sailing vessel is being tossed about by the winds of a raging storm. These storms were quite common on the Sea of Galilee, so it was nothing that at least four of the disciples – Peter, Andrew, James and John – hadn’t experienced in the past. They were fishermen, after all, and would have known that such storms could come up without any forewarning. These four should have known what to do in order to maneuver the boat through the storm.

However, this storm must have been so violent that even these seasoned fishermen were in fear for their lives. So what do they do? They awaken Jesus! Four men who have been out in their fishing vessels many times, undoubtedly having had to maneuver their boat through stormy waters on previous occasions, awaken Jesus, a carpenter, because of their immense fear.

There are several lessons to be learned from this passage. First, it teaches us that storms in life can come at any time. We make our plans. Short-range plans; long-range plans; annual plans; retirement plans. We have everything mapped out to make sure our dreams are within reach. As the fulfillment of those plans draw closer, the excitement begins to build. But then, life happens. The unexpected occurs. Plans have to be discarded. Our peace is shattered with devastating news. The excitement of the coming adventure is replaced with the anxiety of the moment. Our peace is replaced with chaos.

Second, we learn from this story that when these storms arise even the strongest and stoutest are reduced to a state of fear and intimidation. Those four seasoned fishermen show us that these unexpected occurrences will bring us to our knees. Fear sets in; panic soon follows; a sense of total helplessness becomes the rule of the moment. We quickly forget the joy of the journey as the unexpected detour takes us down a path we neither planned nor wanted.

A third lesson is seen in the response of the disciples: they awaken Jesus. In one sense this is quite humorous, as these seasoned fishermen turn to a carpenter in their moment of panic. But in another sense, it is not humorous at all. These men, along with the others, are in fear of losing their lives due to the intensity of the storm. So, they turn to Jesus.

We don’t know exactly why they awaken Jesus. They go to Him and say, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ In their state of frenzy and fear, they run to the Lord. At least they got this right: when our peace is replaced with chaos, our first response should be to run to Jesus.

One final lesson to be learned is that we can trust Jesus in the midst of the storm. Jesus rebuked the storm, causing it to immediately cease. The violent wind, and the crashing waves, stopped at Jesus’ command. The storm was not in control: Jesus was! No matter what the storm, or the intensity of the storm, or the sense of hopelessness and helplessness in the midst of the storm, the Lord is in control. So, Jesus rebuked the storm, and He rebuked the disciples for their fear of the storm.

This turned out to be a tremendous experience for the disciples, as they witnessed firsthand the astounding power of the Lord. No matter how overwhelming and insurmountable the storm may seem, He still has all things well in hand. There is peace in the midst of the storm.

What storm are you facing today? Does it have you engulfed in a sense of hopelessness? Has it consumed your every thought? Can you not see beyond the present moment of crisis, realizing that Jesus is in control? By faith, turn to Jesus. Even if it is just a little faith compelled by an enormous fear, turn to Jesus. And, by faith, look beyond the storm into the peace that will surely follow. That will get us through.

Shalom!