STORMY WEATHER

I Was Just Thinking About – STORMY WEATHER.

With the hurricanes being active and devastating in 2017, lives have been lost, homes and businesses destroyed and devastated, and financial losses considerable. From Texas to Florida on the coast and islands – Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico – the flooding and wind damage has taken a very great toll.

There’s an old gospel song about storms that came to mind:

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,

While the storm howls above me, 

and there's no hiding place.

'Mid the crash of the thunder, 

Precious Lord, hear my cry,

Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Chorus

Till the storm passes over, 

till the thunder sounds no more,

Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;

Hold me fast, let me stand 

in the hollow of Thy hand,

Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

The stormy weather also reminds us of a scene in Mark 4:35-41, Jesus is on a boat with His disciples. Jesus was weary and went to the stern of the ship for a brief nap. Verse 36 indicates:“Jesus was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.” Suddenly a severe storm erupted and the seasoned disciples were panicked. Verses 36-37 records: “Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So, they woke Him and said: Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”

Two key points should be observed. First, there were other (smaller) boats in a convoy following Jesus and His disciples. Second, the question posed by the disciples when they awaken Jesus: “don’t you care that we are perishing?” It is obvious the disciples cared about their own plight and failed to give any expression of concern for the other boats in the convoy. It is also obvious that in their panic they seem to have forgotten that on numerous occasions Jesus had demonstrated how much He cared about people and their circumstances.

Jesus does not lecture the disciples at this point. Instead, in verse 39, He gives two immediate commands to the stormy sea: “Silence” and “Be still,” He then asks His disciples two questions, verse 40, “Why are you so afraid?” and “Do you still have no faith?”

In our lives, we will all have experiences that occur unexpectedly and are overwhelming. How should we respond to those moments? With fear? With panic? With doubt? With uncertainty? The disciples had attempted to do everything they could to keep their boat steady and safe. Being already weary, they were now almost totally fatigued. In their desperation, they came to Jesus and called upon Him for help. A lesson we should learn from this account is – Don’t wait so long before coming to Jesus who can and will make a difference in those things that would otherwise overwhelm and drown one.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.

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