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Writer's pictureQuinn Conley

Trip for a Lifetime: Day 23 Calming the Storm

Let’s go over to the other side. Leaving the crowd, Jesus and the disciples got into the boat. There were other boats. A furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat and it nearly was swamped. Jesus was in the back sleeping. The disciples woke him up and said “don’t you care if we drown?” He got up and calmed the storm. He then said to his disciples “why are you so afraid do you still have no faith? They were terrified and couldn’t understand how the wind and waves obeyed him. Mark 4:35-41

This story so understates what was going on. Most of the disciples were fishermen. They had been on the Sea of Galilee all their life. This wasn’t their first time to be in a storm. Storms were known to come up suddenly. This storm had to be the worst because it was to a point they were sinking. I can imagine them trying to bail the water out of the boat. They were using their hands or anything they could find. This boat was about 27 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, and about 4 feet deep. The water was filling it up faster than they could bail it out. This is when the panic mode began to set in. They began to realize they were going to drown. They had been frantically trying to save themselves.

Jesus had been sleeping the back of the boat. Why they didn’t wake him up first I’m not sure. Probably they were thinking about their personal skills on the water. They didn’t think they need any help. I can imagine Jesus wondering how long they were going to keep trying on their own.

Many times on life’s journey we try to solve our own problems. After we fail we then go to Jesus. Because they were in a panic mode they began to make bad choices. Not going to Jesus first is what we all tend to. We can get ourselves into more trouble than we need to.

I can remember when my youngest daughter and I were camping on the South Llano River. We got caught in a flash flood that pushed me quickly to the panic mode. The storm was extremely severe. The large hail, hard rain, and wind lasted for about 45minutes. We had made it to the pick-up and parked under a large pecan tree to protect ourselves from the hail. I knew that with that much rain the river would come up very fast. We needed to cross three low water crossings to get out and we were trapped where we could loose the truck and even our lives. At this point the panic mode set in and I began to make bad choices. I should have crossed the first and made it to higher ground. The danger I put us in while trying to cross the next two was what I would call stupid. Why I didn’t ask the Lord to give me wisdom first I’m not sure. I still remember the details of that day vividly. My daughter, to this day, is still scared of storms. She wouldn’t go back the next day to get the rest of our camping gear, which a lot was lost to the flood.

When I think of how the disciples were reacting that day I can relate to how easy it is to become panicked. Jesus was with them the whole time just like he was with me. We should have gone to him first. That would have been the wise choice. The journey we are on right now can cause us to first try to solve our own problems, which can lead to panic mode.

Today I talked to two different people. I asked how they were doing. They both responded with the same answer, “we are just hanging on.” I thought how we all at times need to just let go and let God be in charge. That might help us to not get into a panic.

The disciples were just hanging on, when they had access to the one who could calm the wind and waves. I’m sure like me all they saw was the wind, the water, the thunder, and the lightning. Jesus was calm because he could see the storm from the other side. It’s the same now he sees this pandemic from the other side. He sees the rainbow.


Declarations of Truth-Day 3

  • Blessed assurance Jesus is mine

  • Even if you don’t deliver me I will continue to praise you

  • Nothing can separate me from the love of God

  • I know You will bless me and make your face shine upon me

  • You are the alpha and omega what you started in me you will finish

  • You are wonderful, marvelous, a Mighty God

  • Nothing I desire compares with you God

  • I will not hide my light under a basket I will be bold in the Lord

  • You are my strength; You are my peace; You are my hope

  • You are the well spring of life in you I am complete


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