Good day dear friends. A belated Happy Father's Day to all the Dads who read ConCafe/The University of The Way blog. I trust it was a blessed and restful weekend.
Our text for today comes from Mark 4:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" 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. 40He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" 41 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?" (RSV)
The last part of May I did something I thought I would never do, and that was to go on a cruise. I did it for a good reason, my wife and I had to spend our 34th Anniversary on the road during the episcopal interviews and though we had a great time, the wear and tear of these interviews on the both of us merited my doing something special for my wife. She had always wanted to go on one and when our daughter and her husband chose one for their honeymoon and three subsequent ones, I gave in. I have an uneasiness about the ocean. Let's say I respect it enough to stay off of it or go more than a few feet from its shores. And the idea of being captive, in a sense, made the thought of a cruise was foreign to me. I enjoy the ferry ride from Port Aransas to Aransas Pass; it is one of several great things about serving in this district and area of Texas, but I thought that ten minute trip was enough. Long story short, it was a great experience and I'm looking forward someday to my second cruise.
The people in the Bible have a tremendous respect and fear of the seas. The prophet Micah knew the depths of the ocean hides many things including sea creatures that they were not familiar with, but Micah says in 7:19: "You will cast al our sins into the depths of the sea." (The Good News about that is that in Revelation, John writes that "the sea was no more." (Rev. 21.1) Hmm. Ponder that in your heart. But today's text speaks of the fear that came into the disciples as this unexpected storm arose while they were in the boat with Jesus. The passage says the boat began to fill with water and they're screaming for their lives and Jesus is sound asleep on a cushion. They could stand it no longer and awoke Jesus and asked if He didn't care they were all perishing. Jesus calmed the storm with just His command. And they wondered who Jesus truly was.
The storms of our life continue to rage long after we've committed our lives to Jesus, as they will until He returns, but the difference should be that the storms no longer frighten us to the point of questioning where Jesus is or what Jesus is doing. We are able to sleep even in the midst of the storm, confident and calm that the One who calmed the seas can calm our fears, for Jesus has complete control in all things.
PRAYER: Loving God, though life's storms still rage around us, help us to know that we are in Your presence and under Your loving protection. Speak the words and the storms will calm, more importantly, speak the words and we will be calm and trusting as we should. Bless and protect those who read this prayer as their own in whatever storm they may be facing right now. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
