PEACE, BE STILL!

Jesus had spent the day with the Disciples teaching the multitudes with many parables. To the twelve Disciples, He gave the full meaning of the messages hidden in the stories. “The Kingdom of God is like…” This was the iconic phrase that Jesus used to describe His heavenly kingdom that was above all. “And He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.” (Matthew 4:34)

Evening came and He said to the Twelve, “Let’s go over to the other side.” (Matthew 4:35) They had been teaching near the Sea of Galilee and planned to crossover in boats to their next destination. Their peaceful evening of rowing on the water lulled Jesus to sleep in the stern from the gentle rocking.

A storm with fierce winds arose and whipped up the waves, threatening the safety of the Disciples in the boat. In their panic, they woke Jesus saying, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (vs 39)

Jesus got up and took authority over the wind and waves. “Peace, Be Still!” He commanded.  Immediately the wind died down and the water became perfectly calm. Clearly annoyed, Jesus said to the Disciples, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” (vs 40)

Like the Disciples, we may experience threatening occurrences that heighten our fear for our lives. Storms, accidents, people who do things against others. These are all the things that we must deal with. Even so, when things go wrong for us, there is no excuse to blame God and accuse Him of not caring about us. That is simply not true.

That is the point that the Psalmist makes in Psalm 2: 1-2. “Why do the nations rage…against the Lord and against His anointed.” It goes on to say that God has established His throne above all. It does no good to complain and find fault with Him.  It says, “God laughs.”  Not because this is so funny but because it is so ludicrous. That is the definition of unbelief- thinking that you know more than Him.

If you make it a habit of raging every time something goes wrong, you will rob yourself of peace and joy. Raging is the angry attitude of complaining and finding fault with everything and everyone as if you were in charge of the whole world. Perhaps things aren’t going as you imagined, and you are upset about it. You may trick yourself into thinking that your dictatorial words are wise and powerful, but they are not. They only serve to get you on the wrong side of God as you rage against Him, accusing His character.

After a serious rebuke from Jesus in the boat, the Disciples became afraid of Him with a healthy fear of His power to save them. They realized that He had power over all things. That is true belief.

No matter what happens to us in our lives, those situations do not change the fact of God’s position of power above all. Say to yourself instead, “Peace, Be Still! God is in control.” Rest in the fact that, no matter how bad the storms get, God knows, He cares and has the power to hold onto you through it all!