A GREAT CALM

A GREAT CALM

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39)

If we don’t drive into a storm, certainly a storm will eventually find us where we are. We never expect the storm even when the signs are there. Sometimes it’s our fault. Sometimes it’s not. Storms happen. At the time, it really doesn’t matter. We are scared and frightened. Perhaps we are even fearful—is this final? If we know the Answer, we certainly know where to turn. We shout in incomplete sentences, “Lord!” “Save!”

Jesus doesn’t speak to us. It’s not because He doesn’t care. He cares on levels we cannot comprehend. It’s just that He is disappointed, even sad. He’s been with us all the time. He’s shown us His power—time and time again. Why are we worried? Don’t we believe He will rescue us? Don’t we believe He can rescue us? Well, maybe. There is some doubt.

Perhaps there are no more comforting words ever written in response to an act of our Savior. Jesus calms the storm “and there was a great calm”. He’ll do it even if we don’t believe. He will do it in His time and in His way. Make no mistake He will do it. At the core of our being we know He will do it.

But Jesus does have expectations. He wants us to trust Him—even before He shows His power. He wants us to come beside Him and lay our head on His shoulder and whisper, “I trust you, Jesus, even though I don’t see a way.” We know He will save. He will eventually make everything work out—no more anguish, no more tears. We’re vaguely aware of the winds and the waves as we fall asleep beside Him. And there was a great calm. -- David Hodges
serves on the ministry team of Winning With Encouragement

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 10; Genesis 25-26; Matthew 8:1-17

Great Quote: The true order is: God makes a man holy by blood and fire and sharp discipline. Then he calls the man to some special work, and the man being holy makes that work holy in turn ... Every person should see to it that he is fully cleansed from all sin, entirely surrendered to the whole will of God and filled with the Holy Spirit. Then he will not be known as what he DOES, but as what he IS. He will be a man of God first and anything else second. -- A. W. Tozer