#DailyDevotion Who Is This That Even Commands The Wind And Sea?
Mark 4:39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”
Who is this?! Yes that is the important question. Who is this that even the wind and sea obey him? The disciples were afraid in the midst of the storm. Jesus marvels at their fear and lack of faith during the storm. Yet he gets up and commands the sea and the waves, “Peace! Be still!” The fear of the storm pales in comparison to their great fear they have now in the presence of the one who commands wind and sea.
Who is this? The introit from last Sunday from Psalm 107 tells us and maybe ever predicts this event, “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” This is the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. It is the Lord who tells the seas, this far you shall come and no further. While the disciples ask this question I think in their hearts they know in whose presence they are in.
The power and might of the Lord were shown to the disciples and they were sore afraid. In similar fashion should be come into the presence of the power of the Almighty, we in our sinful flesh would also be sore afraid and we would tremble because of our sins even as Isaiah did.
Yet the Lord comes to us in our flesh that we may not be terrified of him. He goes and dies on the cross in our flesh that we may know God’s great love for us in Christ Jesus. He grants us the gift of faith that we may believe in and trust in the love the Almighty has for us. This love, John says, cast out our fear. Through faith in Jesus we can stand before the Father boldly and confidently. If it were not for Jesus we would cower before the Father. Now in Jesus and Jesus in us we approach the Father as his beloved children and him as our dear Father.
In the midst of the storms and trials of our lives we need not fear. Jesus may not call the storms in our lives to cease and be still. He will, as we go to him, not in fear but in faith, calm our troubled hearts. We can be certain our cries are heard and that his answer is on the way. He will take away our distress as we put our faith in him. For not only is the Lord in control, he cares for us.
Heavenly, Gracious Father, in the midst of trials and tribulations in life, grant us faith to come before you boldly and confidently, without fear, but trusting in the love you have shown us in Jesus and hear our cries, still our hearts and deliver us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.