Mark 4:35-41

I took a little detour from studying the Gospel of John and hopped over to Mark for a few days. There is no reason for this, just did it on a whim. I have been stuck in Mark 4:35-41. Jesus is in a boat with the disciples, he is sleeping. A big ole Texas-like windstorm kicks up and the disciples wake Jesus and ask him "don't you care that we are perishing?" Jesus speaks "Peace, be still" the storm obeys him and then Jesus turns to his friends and says "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"

There is so much here to meditate on. First, the assumption from the disciples that because they are in a storm, Jesus must not care. Isn't that an assumption I often make? In the midst of difficulty or discomfort I can be so quick to assume He is not caring. Yet, I know He can never be anything but caring for me. The Psalms are filled with promises of His care for us. We are told His eye is always on us, he cannot forsake us, he is mindful of every thing that pertains to us. If I rehearse the scriptures I will not go to the place of thinking He does not care. (On a side not, they thought they were perishing, I must remember, my days are already numbered and no one and no thing can cause me to perish unless it is the appointed moment that He already has determined.)

Then, Jesus speaks. He just speaks and the wind ceases and there is great calm. Great calm. Great calm. All He did was speak!!! No more waves, no more wind. I must be reminded of the power of His words. With a word He spoke creation into being. With a word He stops the raging storms. His words are amazingly powerful and it would do me good to pay attention to the red lettered words and recall them often.

Then, Jesus asks "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" Now if I were asking someone that question I think I would be asking with exasperation and condemnation, but I bet Jesus asked it full of compassion and mercy. I bet he asked it like a mom would ask a fevered child if they were feeling any better. Concerned for their soul's well being, maybe a bit disappointed at the lack of growth in His friends, but filled with tenderhearted compassion. Ugh, I have much to learn here.

Lastly, verse 41 says "and they were filled with great fear and said to one another 'Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?" CRAZY...they go from fear of the storm and begging Jesus to save them to fear of Jesus because He calmed the storm and saved them!!! They went from one fear to another. Oh, don't I do that? Once the thing I fear is resolved I can so quickly decide something else is to be concerned about. Why is it so hard to just rest and trust and know He is in control of everything, every storm, every gale, every wind, every joy, every blessing?

I am convinced the only way out of these patterns is to know the word of God. To meditate on the truths of scripture. To bask in the wonderful power the word has. To repeat it over and over and speak it to myself and to others. To have it hid in my heart that I might not sin against Him.