the wind & the waves

Jesus did miracles in the Bible, lots of them in fact.  He showed he had power over illness, power over nature, power over hunger and power even over death.  His miracles caused awe among some and anger among others; but none could deny the miracles witnessed by thousands or the evidence of the miracles.

Yet one miracle has a small, but important detail that you might pass over.  In Matthew 8 Jesus gets in a boat with his disciples and tells them to cross to the other side.  This lake was well known for having storms come up quickly, so most stuck close to the shore; but Jesus tells them to cross and so they cross.  Jesus is tired and so he lies down in the back of the boat to rest while his disciples sail on.  As they feared, a storm comes up; Matthew calls it "a furious storm" that was so powerful that the waves start to sweep over the boat.  The disciples, many of them experienced sailors, believe they are going to die and rush to wake Jesus. 
 
At this point Jesus does a few things.  He rebukes his disciples for their small faith.   Next he rebukes the wind and the waves.  In Mark's gospel he tells them "Quiet, Be Still" (Mark 4:39).  Here is the detail.  Matthew tells us that it became "completely calm."  Jesus didn't just stop the wind, he also stopped the waves.  Jesus didn't just end the storm, he ended the effects of the storm.  Normally the waves would have continued for some time before the water became still; and yet with Jesus the storm and the effects of the storm ended immediately.  Isn't that amazing?  That little detail, so easily missed, changes our understanding of who Jesus is.

What does this mean for you?  Well, you may have a problem that you are praying about and hoping that God will change the situation...but don't pray too small.   The disciples in the boat would have been satisfied with the wind ending; they would have been glad to bounce over a few waves...but Jesus stopped the wind and the waves.  Pray big because God has power over the issue and the effects, the problem and the what would come from the problem.

So if you find yourself in fear; cry out to the one who has the power to calm the storm...waves and all.

In Christ,
Pastor Scott