The Peace So Far

Well, it seems to be working! As proposed in my last post, I'm taking all the time and energy I spent obssessing over my own health and circumstances and applying that to praying for others. It's amazing to see how the daily headaches subsided over the weekend and how I only encountered one "head-spasm" (or whatever they're medically called). I had a nasty headache last night, but I can label that one...though I won't since family might be reading this... :)

Anyway, God chose to have our speaker in church yesterday give a Gospel message. And though the specific gospel message doesn't really timely apply to a believer, I believe there is always something we can grasp from it, whether it be to use in witnessing to others or to apply to our own lives. This time, his message of storms and peace in life came through Mark 4.

Mark 4:35-41 New King James Version (www.biblegateway.com)
35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”
36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

I found three things especially interesting about this passage and the way it was presnted:

1 -- This was after a long day of multitudes and teaching. Jesus took His disciples into the boat, possibly in an effort to "get away" for a bit. However, this is the God of the universe we're reading about here. He knew what He was doing and He knew there was a storm brewing overhead. I believe He took His disciples into the boat in the calm before the storm so He could teach them a lesson in peace and trust. After all, He knew their hearts were still a bit hardened and they didn't even know who He truly was at this point in His ministry.

2 -- When the storm is raging its fullest and the disciples are terrified beyond reason, Jesus wakes (yes, He was asleep) and says three simple words to the storm and 13 poignant words to His disciples. The storm only needs to be told to stop. The disciples were challenged in their fear and their lack of faith.

3 -- Even after this, they don't get it. (vs. 41)

We can look back at the disciples and think, "Why didn't they see Him for Who He was? How can they be so blind?" But then I have to stop and wonder why I don't see Him for Who He Is Now. I'm guilty of the exact same fear and the exact same lack of faith. And the next time a storm brews, I don't see Him for Who He Is. I panic. I run around, trying to bail water out of the boat. I look toward Jesus and wonder why He isn't taking care of this for me.

But when I stop and ask Him to help, He gladly rises to the occasion. Then He looks back at me and challenges me to come to Him sooner the next time.

It seems to be giving me more peace about my own health, when I focus on how God is working in the lives of those around me. I see Him work His hand in various other storms and I'm starting to trust that He will calm mine as well. I'm not fully there yet...I still have moments where I reach for the bucket to start bailing water. But I'd like to think that the God of the universe is also the God of my new nature. And that old nature is slowly dying away. Maybe she'll never be totally gone....at least not here on earth. Maybe she'll rear her ugly, non-makeup-wearing grey head every once in a while just to see what I'll do with her.

And maybe I'll put my bucket over her head and turn to the Storm Calmer sooner.