What Manner Of Man Is This?

The men crowded into the boat and set sail for the other side of the lake. Peter, James and John were familiar with the workings of life on a boat and as everything seemed secure for their trip, Jesus took time to rest from his busy day. He gathered himself at the stern of the ship and lay down upon the cushion. The moments of refreshing would come from much needed sleep in the life of the Savior. As the ship made its way upon the sea, a violent storm suddenly burst upon the boat. The winds blew fiercely and the waves began to engulf the boat, filling it with water. The disciples frantically worked to save the ship but it seemed they would all perish in the storm. In a babble of confusion and terror, the disciples wakened Jesus with pleas of salvation. Then Jesus "arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, 'Where is your faith?' And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, 'Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!'" (Luke 8:24,25)

The faith of the disciples had not found itself in the knowledge of whom they journeyed with. The disciples had witnessed Jesus raise the dead, heal great multitudes of people of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits, cleanse lepers, listened to the powerful sermon on the mount and yet in the midst of a storm - with Jesus in the boat with them - feared for their lives. Why could Jesus sleep in the storm and the disciples fear? Jesus knew the Father would protect them and trusted in Him. The disciples had not gained that faith in trusting in the Father and the Son during times of storm. Why should they fear the winds and waves if Jesus is in the boat with them?

The power of the moment was when Jesus rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, everything became calm. Many times the wind will cease but the waters will continue to churn. When Jesus spoke, the wind ceased and the waters turned to calm immediately. The disciples were in the presence of God and in His protection.

What manner of man is this? Jesus is the one who can calm the storms in our lives when we ask Him to intervene. The first thing we must realize is that we must be in the presence of Jesus to receive those blessings. All spiritual blessings are found in Christ and in Him alone. (Ephesians 1) To call upon the master of the sea we must have that relationship to call upon Him. In calling upon Him who calms the storms, we must ask in faith, nothing doubting. (James 1) James tells us we must "ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (vv6-8)

Jesus is the one who can take our troubled lives and create a new life in the image of His Father. We may look at the shambles of our lives and wonder how anything good can come from its remains. Jesus can heal the broken-hearted and make whole what is broken. If He can command the sea and the wind with only His word, what can He not do for me today? Sometimes He calms the storm and we find relief from the raging trials of life. At times, He allows the storms to continue unabated but gives us the faith to sleep as He did in the stern of the boat. His faith and His trust were wholly given unto God. Jesus is the one who can calm our storms.

By Kent E. Heaton Sr.

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