Suggested reading: Mark chapter 4 verse 35 – 41

Mark tells us in his Gospel that Jesus was teaching His disciples and a multitude of people by the sea. When evening arrived, He said to His disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side’, verse 35. They accepted His suggestion and began their journey in a boat. Some of them were fishermen and knew that the Sea of Galilee often witnessed unexpected and violent storms. However, no doubt, they felt safe on this particular occasion, because Jesus accompanied them in the boat. Suddenly, however, their peace was shattered by a great windstorm and the waves began to fill the boat. While the disciples began to panic, Jesus slept, undisturbed, on a pillow in the stern. They equated His seeming indifference with a lack of care for their safety. He had been teaching them many things before they embarked on their voyage but their earlier faith in Him began to disappear, when they found themselves in this challenging situation. They turned on Him and said, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’, verse 38.

Christians can see in the disciples’ experience, a picture of their own journey through this world to heaven. It is not always an easy one but the Lord Jesus has promised to be with them and has guaranteed that they will reach their destination. We confess that sometimes we lose sight of Him and feel as if we are going to perish; however, in the words of the children’s chorus:

‘With Christ in the vessel, we can smile at the storm, as we go sailing home!’

All we have to do is to trust Him! We must never doubt His care or His power. He is the only One who can stand in the midst of the storms of life and say, with authority, ‘Peace, be still!’, chapter 4 verse 39.