It was a normal day when Jesus said to his friends, the disciples, “Let us go to the other side of the lake.” They got into a boat, and Jesus lay down on a pillow at the back of the boat to sleep. The lake was calm, and the boat rocked softly on the waves.
But suddenly a strong storm began. The wind howled, the waves beat high, and the water splashed into the boat. The disciples became very anxious, because the storm was very violent. They tried to steer the boat, but the storm was too strong for them. The boat filled up more and more with water.
In their fear, the disciples ran to Jesus. “Master, wake up! We are going under! Don’t you care that we die?” they cried. They were desperate, because they thought they could not survive the storm.
Jesus stood up, looked at the raging storm and said in a firm voice: “Be silent! Be quiet!” Immediately the wind died down, the waves stopped raging, and it became very quiet. The storm was over because Jesus had spoken.
The disciples were amazed. They wondered, “Who is this man, that even the wind and the waves obey him?” They realized that Jesus is truly the Son of God and that He has power over all creation.
Then Jesus turned to the disciples and asked: “Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have faith yet?” Jesus wanted them to trust Him, no matter how big the problems may seem.
Message of history
Even though we are sometimes afraid and things around us get stormy, we can know that Jesus is with us. He is powerful and can bring peace to our storms if we trust him.
Bible passage
The story of Jesus calming the storm is found in Mark 4:35-41:
“And that day he said to them, when evening had come, ‘Let us go to the other shore.’ And they dismissed the crowd and took him away in the boat, just as he was. And there were other small boats with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filled. And he was in the back of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we perish?” And he stood up, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be silent, be silent.” And the wind died down, and there was a great silence. And he said to them, “Why are you so fearful? What, do you have no faith? And they were greatly afraid, and said to one another, “Who is this, that the wind and the sea should be obedient to him?”
