Last week life was a little stormy for me. I don’t mean that there were literal storms in the
weather. I mean figuratively I was going through some storms. My entire family got sick with a
cold and we had to start planning and preparing to move to Vancouver. Anytime you move or
switch jobs things become a little turbulent. Even though my life felt a little stormy last week, I
know there are people out there who are facing much larger dangerous storms. I know people
who are going through the dangerous storm of cancer. I know people who are going through
the dark storm of grief at the death of a loved one. Not to mention the people of Ukraine who
are going through the destructive storm of war. Compared to some of these storms the storms
in my life seem more like a little drizzle.

 

But whether our storms are big or little the fact of the matter is we all go through various
storms in life. And these storms have the ability to terrify us. How do we make it through the
storms in life? How can we have calm through the storm? Let’s look at a time when Jesus’
disciples were going through a literal storm and see why they could have calm through the
storm. We will see we can have calm through the storms of our lives for the same reasons.

 

Mark 4:35-41

 

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were
also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat,
so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The
disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

 

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died
down and it was completely calm.

 

 

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves
obey him!”

 

The disciples were sailing through a literal storm in this account and they were afraid for their
lives. But they had no reason to be afraid for a number of reasons. First, they had no reasons to
be afraid because Jesus was the one who set the course. Jesus had set the course when he said,
“Let us go over to the other side.” When Jesus is the one who sets the course, you know you
are on the correct course even when the storms come. Second, they had no reason to be afraid
because Jesus was with them. As they were fighting the storm Jesus was modeling complete
calm by sleeping in the stern of the boat. He was sailing with them through the storm and he
was not afraid. Third, they were able to reach out to him. Because he was with them all they
had to do was call to him and ask for help. Fourth, they had no reason to be afraid because
Jesus cared about them. When they woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown”

he responded with help. Of course, he cared if they drowned! And he was willing to use his
mighty power to save them. Lastly, they had no reason to be afraid because Jesus has power
over the storm. Jesus simply told the wind and the waves to be quite and still and they had to
obey. Jesus had power over the storm.

 

We can have courage as we face the metaphorical storms in our lives for the same reasons.
First, we can have courage because Jesus sets the course. Jesus is directing our lives so we
know no matter what kind of storms come, we are on the right course. Even if the storms are
furious and terrifying. Second, we can have courage because Jesus is with us through the storm.
The Bible tells us that Christ dwells in us. Jesus also said he would be with us always until the
very end of the age. Third, we can have courage because we are able to reach out to him. Jesus
encourages us to call upon him in the day of trouble. We can go to Jesus in prayer for any and
every situation. Fourth we can be courageous because we know that he cares about us! When
we go to him in prayer he doesn’t treat us with ambivalence. No, he cares about the problems
and storms in our lives. He does care if we drown. And finally, we can have courage because
Jesus has the power to calm the storm. Before Jesus ascended into heaven he asserted that all
authority in heaven and on earth had been given to him. There is nothing in this life outside of
his control. There is nothing in this life that he does not have power over and that he cannot
command to do as he pleases.

 

So, what is the storm in your life right now? If you are reading this, take a minute to call out to
your Savior. As you pray to him, remember you can be courageous because he has set the
course, he is with you, he cares about you, and he is powerful enough to calm the storm. Amen.