When Raging Waters Cease

I posted this on my church's website and thought I'd share it here :)

In our lives, we often face storms, times that test our faith in God. There are four notable instances in the Bible when a storm was calmed miraculously by God. In each distance, the Lord calmed the storm for a different reason.

1. Jonah was thrown overboard

The first is found in the book of Jonah. Jonah was running from the will of God and was on a ship bound for Tarshish. Because of Jonah’s disobedience, the Lord sent a strong storm. The men on the boat began to panic, and Jonah admitted that he was causing the storm. They cast lots and the lot fell upon Jonah, so Jonah told them to throw him overboard. The Bible says when they tossed Jonah out of the ship, the sea ceased from her raging. Jonah represents everything that is anti-God. Like in the story of Jonah, many of us have people, mindsets, attitudes, or other things in our lives that are anti-God. God wants to miraculously calm the storm in our lives, but we each must first get rid of “Jonah”.

2. Jesus was awaken

In the fourth chapter of the book of Mark, we read a story in which Jesus is asleep in a boat that is being tossed and turned by a great storm. The disciples of Jesus are on the boat with Jesus and they begin to panic as the storm worsens. When the disciples wake Jesus up, He rebukes the wind and causes the storm to cease. Sometimes the storm in your life is there because the things of God are sleep. Is your prayer life asleep? Is your joy asleep? Is your worship asleep? God is an ever present help in the time of trouble, and He never sleeps or slumbers. However, we sometimes allow Jesus and the things of God to “sleep” on our ship.

3. Jesus was received into the ship

There’s another story about Jesus, the disciples, and a storm at sea found in John 6. The disciples were on a boat that was again tossed by a great wind. They saw a figure walking on the water and it frightened them. However, we Jesus identified Himself, they willingly received Him into the ship and the storm was calmed. Sometimes, all you have to do is open the door, received Jesus into your ship, and He will calm the storm of your life.

4. Peter stepped out of his comfort zone

The final notable calming of a storm in the Bible is found in Matthew 14. Again, the disciples are on a ship that is being battered by a storm. Jesus comes to them walking on the water and Peter asks the Lord if he could go to Him. Peter then walks on the water to Jesus but begins to sink when he notices the storm around him. However, Jesus reached out and grabbed Peter’s hand and they both walked back to the ship together. When they reached the ship, the wind and storm immediately calmed. Sometimes in order for your storm to be calmed, the Lord wants you to step out of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith toward Him. Don’t worry or fret if you do this, because even if you begin to sink, the Lord will be right there to catch you if you fall.

If you’ll toss Jonah overboard, wake the sleeping things in your life, allow Jesus to come in your ship, and sometimes step out of your comfort zone, your raging waters will cease because the Master of the wind will speak into your life and always make a way for you!

Luke 8:25 - The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

-Matt