HOST: Michael Whitworth
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
There are several clues in the telling of this event that indicate to us that Jesus’ disciples did not yet fully understand who He was or the extent of His power. In Mark’s account (which we will read tomorrow), they ask Jesus, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” Then there is their pondering: “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Clearly, they were still struggling to understand this Man and His purpose. But despite that lack of clarity, when they were in trouble and feared for their lives, it was Jesus that they came to for help. “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” They may not have understood exactly how, but they knew that He could save them. And He still can! Many people in the world fail to come to Jesus because they do not fully understand. Maybe they don’t understand how His dying can save them, or how their baptism can wash away sins. Maybe they don’t fully comprehend the concept of eternity or heaven and hell. There may always be things that are beyond our ability to clearly understand, but that does not detract from Jesus’ power to save. We must learn to trust what we do not see and depend on what we cannot fully grasp. That is faith!
What are some things that we can do to help strengthen our faith?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
