So many lessons of faith were taught the disciples on or around the Sea of Galilee. This was their training ground, where they got to know Jesus as the Son of God.
Mark tells us about one of those times. It's evening and Jesus tells all the disciples to get in a boat and go to the other side of the sea. I wonder what the fishermen in this group were thinking at this point? Was it a good idea to be on the sea at night? Not likely. This area was prone to frequent wind storms that came up at a moment's notice. Remember too, that not all these disciples were fishermen. How comfortable were they in a boat?
So with this mixed boat of seaworthy and not so seaworthy men, a doozy of a storm blows in so hard that the boat is filling with water. And Jesus is asleep getting some much needed rest! The disciples aren't so thrilled about that, though. Hey, we're dying here, show a little concern!
He wakes up, "hush, be still!" and perfect calm follows.
"Why are you so afraid?"
"Where is your faith?"
I love that Mark chooses to tell us that now the disciples are really afraid, even terrified.
"Who is this?!", they say. They don't really know Him yet. They haven't fully understood that God is in the boat with them.
All of this makes me think of the verse,
"Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10
Oooh, the ever illusive "stillness". Could it be that Jesus wasn't just speaking to the waves? He wants me to be still, but I don't seem to know how. Maybe it involves a transfer of fear to where it really belongs? No, I'll rephrase that. I think it MUST involve a transfer of fear.
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