Sleeping Through The Storm
“Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.” (Matthew 8:23-24)
Does it ever feel like Jesus is sleeping through a storm in your life? Jesus had just finished healing many people, and He and the disciples were going to cross the lake. The storm came up suddenly, and it wasn’t just any storm—it’s described as a “fierce storm" with waves that broke into the boat. The Greek word used to describe the storm is “megas,” from which we get our word “mega.” A mega-storm suddenly struck the lake. Have you had times in life where it feels like a mega-storm suddenly comes out of nowhere? Times like these can be scary and frustrating.
When this mega-storm struck, Jesus was sleeping. It can feel like this when storms strike our own lives, that Jesus is just sleeping through them. We cry out to Him and get no answer on our timetable and it begins to feel like Jesus is sleeping through our storm. Maybe it’s a mega-storm of sickness that strikes suddenly and you pray for the sickness to go away, but it stays for weeks, so it seems like Jesus is sleeping through the storm. Jesus could sleep through the storm because He is in control of it, so why would He worry?
“The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’
Jesus responded, ‘Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!’ Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:25-26)
Jesus is the one who is in charge of the winds and the waves. He knows with a single rebuke the storm will cease. We should draw great comfort in the fact that our Lord does not panic in the storm. We can call out to Him and in His perfect timing, with one word, Jesus can calm the storm.
A mega-storm struck the lake and sent waves crashing into the boat, and Jesus asked the disciples why they were afraid. That may sound like an unreasonable question, but Jesus was there with them. He’s in charge of the storm, so why should they be afraid?
They were afraid because they had such little faith. They had just seen Jesus touch and heal a man with leprosy (v.1-4), then they witnessed Jesus heal a Roman officer’s servant just by speaking it (v.5-13), and finally while they were at Peter’s house they witnessed Him heal Peter’s mother-in-law, cast out evil spirits in many possessed people with a simple command, and heal all the sick who were brought to him (v.14-16). Yet, when a storm rose up, they feared they would drown! You see, the storm was directly affecting them. Sure, they saw Jesus heal others and cast out demons, but they weren’t directly affected with the illness or possession. Faith is always easier when it’s not being challenged. When we see Jesus healing and acting in other people’s lives, it’s easier to have faith, but when the storm comes into our own lives, when it feels like disaster is upon us and Jesus isn’t listening or helping, then we can allow our fear to be bigger than our faith.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
We have the advantage of the Scriptures, to look back and read about all the times Jesus healed the sick and cast out demons. We can read about Him calming storms and walking on top of the waves. We even get the privilege of reading about how it all ends with His victorious and triumphant return, when death is defeated, every tear is wiped away and there are no more storms! Let’s not lose sight of who Jesus is and what He has done. Storms will rise up suddenly, sometimes they’re small, sometimes they’re mega-storms, but don’t forget who is in your boat. Don’t forget that our King is in charge of the storm and He’s not worried by it. In His perfect timing, he can get up and calm the storm with a single word.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
—Redeemed
