All day today, I couldn't stop thinking of the storm that came through last night. It was so scary. At the same time, though, it was majestic. It was the kind of awesome display of nature's might that makes it impossible to not believe in a God.
And so then I started thinking about other displays of might and nature - like when Jesus calmed the storm. That story has always astonished me. Jesus did not only stop the wind; He also stilled the water. I remember as a little girl, I would have contests with my friends to see who could skip rocks the most times over the water. I always lost - I was never very good at skipping rocks - but after we finished throwing rocks, I would always sit and watch the silky ripples that stayed behind in the surface of the water. Those ripples lasted almost forever. And any slight breeze would always stir them up again.
Water is not something that can be quickly calmed. Even little disturbances like small stones or insignificant breezes will upset water for a very long time. So just imagine how churned up the water must have been in the middle of a fearsome squall. I imagine something like "The Perfect Storm" - massive waves, as high as buildings, constantly battering the disciples' poor little boat. And then all of a sudden, at Jesus' command....complete stillness. What an eerie experience that must have been to witness!!
But then, as I was thinking about that, another thought crossed my mind. If I want someone in my court in this crazy thing that we call life....wouldn't I want it to be someone who can calm storms by simply uttering a few words?
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
And so then I started thinking about other displays of might and nature - like when Jesus calmed the storm. That story has always astonished me. Jesus did not only stop the wind; He also stilled the water. I remember as a little girl, I would have contests with my friends to see who could skip rocks the most times over the water. I always lost - I was never very good at skipping rocks - but after we finished throwing rocks, I would always sit and watch the silky ripples that stayed behind in the surface of the water. Those ripples lasted almost forever. And any slight breeze would always stir them up again.
Water is not something that can be quickly calmed. Even little disturbances like small stones or insignificant breezes will upset water for a very long time. So just imagine how churned up the water must have been in the middle of a fearsome squall. I imagine something like "The Perfect Storm" - massive waves, as high as buildings, constantly battering the disciples' poor little boat. And then all of a sudden, at Jesus' command....complete stillness. What an eerie experience that must have been to witness!!
But then, as I was thinking about that, another thought crossed my mind. If I want someone in my court in this crazy thing that we call life....wouldn't I want it to be someone who can calm storms by simply uttering a few words?
Luke 8:22-25
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
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