Calm in the Storm

"A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 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. 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!'" (Mark 4:37 - 41).

It's popular in feel-good theology -- and maybe even glossed over in not-feel-good theology -- to marvel with the disciples at Jesus' power to calm the storm, and think to ourselves "Well, Jesus can calm the storm in my life, too!"

But check out another verse:
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace" (Colossians 3:15).

Now, when I think of "_____ of ______" I think of the first belonging to the second. Naturally. But if what comes from God is also His nature, that spins a little different connotation. So the peace of Christ is not simply peace that comes from Christ, but it's also peace that Christ displayed.

Where is the peace displayed? In that, as the storm raged, Christ was sleeping. As it raged. Jesus was sleeping. Knocked out. Oblivious. The point, dear friends, is not that Christ calmed the storm. What did he do after calming it? He berated his disciples for their lack of faith. If in our terror we beg God to calm the storm in our life, and He does, can He not still berate us for lack of faith? He did it to the men closest to him. He says, in essence: "What were you worried about? I know the Father. Did I look worried? Why were you?"

I can guarantee you Christ is not worried about your situation right now. He is compassionate, certainly; but He knows the Father; he knows the plan. "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

There's tons more verses I could print out. But this is the point: Jesus doesn't have to calm the storm in your life. He has the power, that was displayed; but if you want his peace, that may be all you'll get, and honestly it's all you need.

See you Wednesday.