March 6

Text: Matthew 8:24-27

And behold, there arose a great storm in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves; but He Himself was asleep.  And they came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!"  And He *said to them, "Why are you timid, you men of little faith?" Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and it became perfectly calm.  And the men marveled, saying, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" (NASB)

It is amazing how quickly the unusual becomes the usual.  Once people who had not seen large electrical lighting were told street lights “would make it light as day.”  Unbelieving people scoffed!  A week before we arrived, the street lights came on.  People stayed up all night to witness the amazing street lights.  A week later we arrived.  They acted as if they had street lights for 100 years.  No one was amazed!

The disciples witnessed Jesus heal all kinds of sicknesses and diseases caused by spiritual and physical forces (Matthew 4:24).  Healing sickness and disease was common—no longer amazing.

Then one day the disciples were with Jesus in a boat.  An unexpected storm produced waves big enough to sink the boat.  Concerned men woke an unconcerned Jesus.  Jesus chided them for having little faith.

Jesus got up and with mere words restored an immediate perfect calm.  The disciples were amazed!  Their reaction: “Who is this man?”  Stopping several cases of typhoid was one thing, but controlling wind and waves with words was quite another!  Disease was no wow, but wind and waves were a wow!

Can Jesus restore calm to your life when an unexpected storm in it threatens massive destruction?

Suggestion for reflection: In difficult times who is Jesus to you?  (Read Colossians 1:13-23.)