Without Warning

18. August 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: Welcome back from the weekend.  Today’s lesson has a familiar story.   It is the episode with Jesus and his disciples out on the sea and a storm arises and the disciples are afraid. 

Here is the text: Matthew 8:18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

When I am reading the bible, I always look at the biblical material and ask myself what Jesus would want us to take away from this text today.     There are several things that we can learn from this passage of scripture.  I think all of us will agree that incased in life are its share of storms.  While this incidence was a real live physical storm, the underlying issues of faithlessness and not trusting are still applicable to us today.    

Let’s look at verse 24- the text says that without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake.   The text seems to imply that the normal signs of a storm such as dark clouds, a change in the temperature, winds, etc did not occur.  The storm appears to have just come out of no-where.  These are usually the worst ones to handle because we get no warning.   You start your day out normal as usual and all of a sudden before you return home our whole lives can change instantly without warning;  the storms of life.   

During this storm, Jesus was sleeping. That is so powerful to me.  When you are filled with destiny and purpose you can sleep in the midst of a storm because nothing will happen that God does not allow and if something does occur then it all fits in the plan of God for our lives. For all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. 

I do understand that this was early in Jesus’ ministry and maybe the disciples still were not convinced that Jesus was the son of God and the long awaited Messiah.  Clearly his reputation of teaching and miracles had preceded him and whatever the disciples were thinking, Jesus must have demonstrated enough in their presence for them to come to the right conclusions for he clearly labels them as having “little faith.”     

God has revealed so much to us in his word and in our personal experiences with him yet each time we go through something we cry out as if God does not see our suffering.  The issue is not crying out, for God is our father and we can go to him with everything but the issue is to cry out in disbelief or without faith. 

The bible teaches us in Phillipians 4:6-7 “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The disciples had seen the miracles, they had experienced his teaching, they had watched him cast out demons and yet were concerned when they were in their first storm together. 

They must have believed that Jesus had the power to do something for they awoke him and said “Lord save us” but evidently they were not convinced of the extent of his power for after Jesus rebuked the winds and waves, they cried “what manner of man is this that even the winds and waves obey him.” Whatever situation you’re going through, whatever storms you suddenly find yourself in, Jesus is right there with you; in the boat (in the storm).   We are safe.  Everything is as it should be, all is well. 

Just believe and Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

God Bless!!!!   Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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