Bible Readings for February 27 – Matthew 8:18, 23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

Fear is powerful. Politicians know that, and that’s why so many of their campaign ads try to convince you that if their opponents win, the world as we know it will come to an end. But other fears are not so easily dismissed: jobs can be lost, spouses can abandon us, children can fall into terrible temptations. The more we love people, the greater our quite reasonable fears of losing them.

In today’s passage, Jesus’ disciples had real reason for fear. They had all grown up knowing how unpredictable the Sea of Galilee could be, how quickly the most dangerous storms could develop. So, when a gale blew up that was strong enough to make their boat begin to sink, even the professional fishermen among them panicked. No, like so many of ours, their fears were not somehow exaggerated or blown out of proportion.

And they were also amazed that Jesus didn’t seem to care about the seriousness of their situation. Even if they couldn’t imagine Him doing anything about it, they wondered why He didn’t at least wake up so that He could share in their misery. And maybe in the midst of your own reasonable fears, you have wondered the same thing. Does God care? Is He even there?

Of course the good news is that even the most terrible storm turned out to be no match for Jesus. No, the One Who created everything by the power of His Word, could use that same Word to calm the winds and the waves in an instant. And He continues to be just as willing and able to solve even the worst of our problems.

So today, the challenge for us is the same one that faced the disciples: will we put our faith in Jesus, in His power and in His love? Or in the midst of our own storms, will we go on being afraid?

Mark 4:35-41 (NASB)

35 And on that day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.”
36 And leaving the multitude, they took Him along with them, just as He was, in the boat; and other boats were with Him.
37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.
38 And He Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.
40 And He said to them, “Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 And they became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”