Hunkered Down Devotion

Mark 4:35-41 (Voice)
35 The same evening, Jesus suggested they cross over to the other side of the lake. 36 With Jesus already in the boat, they left the crowd behind and set sail along with a few other boats that followed. 37 As they sailed, a storm formed. The winds whipped up huge waves that broke over the bow, filling the boat with so much water that even the experienced sailors among them were sure they were going to sink.
38 Jesus was back in the stern of the boat, sound asleep on a cushion, when the disciples shook Him awake.  
Disciples (shouting over the storm): Jesus, Master, don’t You care that we’re going to die?  
39 He got up, shouted words into the wind, and commanded the waves.  
Jesus: That’s enough! Be still!  
And immediately the wind died down to nothing, the waves stopped.  
Jesus: 40 How can you be so afraid? After all you’ve seen, where is your faith?  
41 The disciples were still afraid, slowly coming to grips with what they had seen.  Disciples (to one another): Who is this Jesus? How can it be that He has power over even the wind and the waves?

Maybe it is because I have watched too many movies and TV shows, or because I am a visual learner, or for some other reason entirely, but I often picture Jesus’ life, and all of the Bible, really as a movie or a TV show.  Most of Jesus’ life fits squarely in the drama category.  There is some sci-fi or fantasy thrown in here and there, obviously there is a lot of the ‘uplifting family-style’ as well.  But some of my favorite parts are the ones that would fit into the ‘sitcom’ moments.

This scene from Jesus life is one that I always think would work well as one of them.  You probably don’t even have to think too hard to imagine where the laugh track would go, or where the overly cheesy extra lines would be added in – as the sky begins to look more and more ominous, James asks, ‘Where’s Jesus?’ and Peter says, ‘Don’t tell me he’s sleeping, AGAIN!’  WAWA!   Jesus, over dramatically wiping the sleep from his eyes, says, you guys aren’t afraid of getting a little wet, are you?  

But the scene is only funny to us because we know how it’s going to end.  We know that they are safe because they are with Jesus and what could a little wind and water possible do when faced with the power of the very Son of God?  When we have the benefit of perspective, it is easy to see how foolish it is to give in to fear and fail to trust in God.

In our own lives, however, when the wind is raging, and rain is pouring down it doesn’t ever seem nearly is funny that Jesus seems to be sleeping right through the emergency.  When we are the ones being tossed and turned, thrown about by the waves, Jesus snoring away below decks feels a lot less like comfort and a lot more like a lack of caring.  

But when we give in to those feelings, we miss the point just as clearly as the disciples did.  If they would have properly understood Jesus’ power and the reality of the situation, they would have been more likely to take a nap next to him then rouse him awake with worry.  And for our part, we need to understand, what the disciples missed, that even when Jesus was napping, he was still with them on the boat.  We might not always sense, feel or see Jesus, but he is always here with us.  We will never be alone or forsaken.  

Sharing God’s Love
Chip  

Prayer: Lord, help us to let go of fear and trust in you – even in the middle of the storm.  Amen.