THE GREAT CALMING
THE GREAT CALMING
Many if not all of us believers know about the story of Jesus calming the storm in scriptures; one of the numerous miracles of His days.
How many times has the picture of the sea and the boat with the disciples and Jesus stretching forth His hand formed in memory effortless at the hearing of this story? Well, you are not alone at this. I have myself and still sometimes get this picture often. Getting it out of memory may be a little difficult being taught all these years to us. Besides, why should wanting to get it out of memory be an option for one?
Of a truth, there is nothing wrong with having such a picture in mind. It is a good one meant to remind us of one of the deepest desires of our LORD in our lives as believers-PEACE. It however may be of a concern to not be able to apply the essence of such image formed to real life. Since the word of God is Living and active (Hebrews 4:12) it will be wise to conclude that such a scenario is still living and active too because His word recorded it and all scripture is written for our learning (Romans 15:4).They are not only limited to history or occurrences of the past. They are daily phenomena.
You may have never been to sea or see yourself having anything to do with the sea and neither have I nor do I. what then has calming a storm to do with us?
I want us to look at this picture a little differently with a few considerations. First of all, consider Jesus in the boat. Now ask yourself which place in a Believer’s life does Jesus now occupy. You are right! The Heart. Consider now the storm against the boat. So now, you are the boat bearing Jesus and the storm is against the boat tossing it around in such a manner that impedes its smooth or normal motion on the water. We can say that the storm is against you; the boat bearing Jesus. Matthew 5:1 says that we shall be persecuted, hated and reviled because of Him and also have many troubles (John 16:33) All these can be referred to as the storms. Until the disciples acknowledged Him, there was no peace.
At His acknowledgement, He arose and said “PEACE, BE STILL’’.
All the many challenges of the believer are because of whom they carry and the name they bear; JESUS. We however have an assurance of His desire for peace in all matters concerning us with a perfect illustration of calming the wave on the sea. His response was a demonstration of His dislike for anything that comes against the believer's joy or soundness.
If only we will acknowledge and identify with the person of Jesus in all matters, we can be sure to be anxious for nothing regardless of what it may be. The disciples were trying out all the skills they had at sea but to no avail until they acknowledge His presence. Their reaction isn't too different from ours today. Many of us utilize all alternatives in handling storm saves Jesus. It is until things get out of control and all our expertise fail that we remember we have a God.
Let me also put on record here that peace isn't necessarily the absence of challenges. Peace isn't when things move unhindered and uninterrupted.It isn't only the state of affairs but rather the state of the heart amidst the storm(s). The ability to be steadfast and calm with absolute trust in His ability to sustain you when the storm arises.
The weight of peace that calmed the sea has He given us in abundance when He uttered his near to final words ‘PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU; MY PEACE I GIVE YOU’. Let Peace be defined as the heart's state for the purpose of this write-up.
Absolute peace at life's worse is possible. He demonatrated that in sleeping during the storm. Notice that not even the storm could prevent Him from taking and enjoying His nap. He modeled to us what it means to be seated in heavenly places; living from the realm of heaven towards earth.
That kinda world has no storms. That's kind of an unusual concept for us but just because it may be an unusual concept doesn't make it false anyway.
I can say with much confidence that,not until He had had the amount of sleep He needed, He wouldn't have awoken in response to the storm if He were all by Himself. He however, for the sake of His disciples and for our learning today, needed to show that He has authority even over the strongest waves and nature which in due season will be the authority of the believer. He needed to teach us how to handle and respond to such events when they show up; how to exercise our authority and power.
How many times have we been sleepless because of certain happenings in and around us? It is time to learn from the example of our Lord in keeping a steady state amidst the waves that come against us; handling challenges from heavenly places. Such authority as demonstrated in calming the waves has He given us to command and direct the course of our lives in order to maintain a steady heart at all times. Also, He has let the power of life and death to the tongue so we can speak that which we wish to see happen. Let us utilize it in making prophetic decrees and declaring Peace over our hearts and minds and anything that comes up against us. Peace is a great weapon given us by God to help in times of trouble. Utilize the resource of peace in everyday occurrence! Shalom!
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Thank you Emma