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The story about Jesus calming the storm comes from Mark 4:35-41 and it starts out with an important directive that Jesus gives that we often overlook
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
I think this promise is really important to the story…He promised them to go over to the other side.
He didn’t say: Let us go into the middle of the lake to die in a storm.
I once went through a major health crisis that nearly cost me my life but thankfully I did not lose life although there was a lot of pain and rehab in the months and even years following to come back to full recovery. One of the phrases that kept coming to me over and over during those dark days, in the midst of the storm was this: “God did not bring you this far to leave you here.”
God doesn’t bring you into the midst of the storm just to leave you there. He promises to bring you to the other side!
But for the disciples, they were in the midst of the storm and there Jesus was…just sleeping. Which is more unhinged? That Jesus could calm the storm or that Jesus could sleep through the storm?!?
The best part is that even though Jesus could sleep through the storm, through the chaos of the disciples paddling and probably shouting at each other, as soon as Jesus heard their voices calling for him, Jesus snapped to attention.
It may feel like Jesus might be sleeping on the job while you are in the midst of the storm, but like the disciples, are you trying every possible thing to get to the other side on your own or are you ready to finally call on the name of Jesus to get you to the other side?
But the moment the disciples turned from faith in themselves to relying on Jesus, that’s the moment they were saved. The same goes for you and for me.
When we finally realize that Jesus is the Creator of the world where freedom exists and therefore storms happen…we must drop to our knees and humbly accept that Jesus is also the Redeemer of the world and has done everything possible for you to make it to the other side.
He’s just waiting for you to fully rely on him. He’s waiting on you to stop trying to paddle on your own power.
He’s waiting on you to call out to him – he’s not so asleep he can’t hear you…he’s just waiting for you to care enough to rely on him.
I don’t know what storm you might be in today…but I do know that Jesus didn’t bring you ALL the way here just to leave you here.
When Jesus is in your boat, your boat can’t sink, he’s going to get you through the storm to the other side.