OCTOBER 30, 2015
The Storms of
Life
You
may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that
the proven genuineness of your faith . . . may result in praise, glory and
honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. — 1 Peter 1:6-7
Read:
Mark
4:35–5:1
In the book of Mark we read about a terrible
storm. The disciples were with Jesus on a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee.
When a “furious squall came up,” the disciples—among them some seasoned
fishermen—were afraid for their lives (4:37-38). Did God not care? Weren’t they
handpicked by Jesus and closest to Him? Weren’t they obeying Jesus who told
them to “go over to the other side”? (v. 35). Why, then, were they going
through such a turbulent time?
No one is exempt from the storms of life. But
just as the disciples who initially feared the storm later came to revere
Christ more, so the storms we face can bring us to a deeper knowledge of God.
“Who is this,” the disciples pondered, “even the wind and the waves obey him!”
(v. 41). Through our trials we can learn that no storm is big enough to prevent
God from accomplishing His will (5:1).
While we may not understand why God allows
trials to enter our lives, we thank Him that through them we can come to know
who He is. We live to serve Him because He has preserved our lives.
Lord, I know I don’t need to fear the storms of life around
me. Help me to be calm because I stand secure in You.
The storms of life prove the strength of our anchor.
INSIGHT:
In Mark 4:35–5:43 the gospel writer tells of four miracles to
prove that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God” and therefore has absolute
authority over the forces of this physical world (4:35-41), over the powers of
the spiritual world (5:1-20), over physical illnesses (5:24-34), and over death
(5:35-43). These miracles were designed to answer the question, “Who is this?”
(4:41). The first miracle was Jesus calming the storm on Galilee. Because the
Sea of Galilee is in a basin about 700 feet below sea level and is surrounded
by mountains, sudden and violent storms are common (v. 37). That Jesus was
tired and soundly asleep showed that He was fully human (v. 38); that the storm
instantly obeyed Him showed He was divine (v. 39). Sim Kay Tee
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015