Verses 16-18 If we understand the Word of God then our lifestyle should reflect what the Bible says. When a lamp is turned on, it is for the purpose of the light to show itself. We don’t turn it on and then try to hide the light. When we have the Word of God given to us, it is not so that we can keep it hidden. If we have profited at all from the Word of God, then we have the light in us. It’s burning bright. We should spread the light to those around us. That’s what light does. We shouldn’t keep it shut up and hidden. We should open our mouths and let our hands and feet act on the Word of God to let the Word come out of us and bless others. As we respond in faith to God’s Word, more will be given to us. Just like our talents (Matthew 25:14–30). If we use the talent given to us, God will give us more of it. But if we hide it or bury it, he will take it away. Those who refuse to respond to the Word of God will lose it.
Verses 19-21 Jesus’ mother and brothers show up to meet him and because of the size of the crowd, they can’t get to him. In the other Gospels (Matthew, Mark, John), we learn that his family thought Jesus was out of his mind with his ministry and they didn’t believe him (Mark 3:20-21; John 7:1-5). When Jesus is told that his family is trying to reach him, he used this as another teaching moment for his followers. Jesus considered his family as those who heard and obeyed the Word of God. This is real intimacy with Jesus.
Verse 22 Here the disciples follow Jesus into a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Anytime we go where God tells us to go, we can be assured His presence is there with us. If Jesus sends us, He will go with us.
The disciples pushed themselves out to sea on autopilot, doing something they’ve done a thousand times before. Here Jesus is able to reveal something new, stretching their faith in the same old task. He does that to us too. I would venture to say we daily are being met with stretches of faith and pulls at our patience in the ‘same old’ tasks, like a heart of playdough being sculpted by our Creator. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking that says our days are mundane and predictable. Clock in, clock out. Diaper on, diaper off. But Jesus is alive and living things are always on the move. If we let Jesus have his way, He is molding our faith and transforming our patience on the inside with the situations and people in our path. He’s encouraging us not to take the easy way out. He’s nudging us not to resort to distractions to drown out the environment around us but to be present in the tension. He’s asking us to lean into our faith and say something, do something, maybe even rest. He’s calling out with his Word for our devotion, our trust, our allegiance, and obedience.
The disciples had followed Jesus into that boat. They were obeying Him, thus they were right in the middle of His will for them. Storms sometimes come when we are in the middle of God’s will for us. He stretches our faith here. Stretching our faith is how we grow and get stronger. Resilient. But notice that at the moment, the disciples had already forgotten Jesus’ word. He told them before they even stepped in that boat that they were going to cross to the other side. It’s easy to forget God’s Word at the moment. This is why we need reminders in and on all the things we pick up most often and the familiar places we spend our time in. Post-it notes. Phone and computer wallpapers. Office walls. Refrigerators. On the dash of our car.
Personally, I have been led by God to make trips all over the world. His direction gave me confidence that Jesus would be with me in what He called me to do. So much so that I traveled with no phone to contact anyone for weeks. We can go boldly anywhere Jesus calls us to go.
Several of the disciples were professional fishermen and they had crossed this lake many times before.
Verses 23-25 On the way, Jesus fell asleep. And they could have slept too if they remembered that Jesus had said they would cross to the other side. But when the winds picked up, so did their fear. They panicked, forgot their faith, and quickly woke Jesus up. Jesus didn’t waste time after being awakened. He immediately calms the wind and the waves. This isn’t like a storm dying down slowly and gradually. The wind was shut up. The waves were silent. Suddenly by the word of Jesus. God stories often contain the word “suddenly”. Even when God’s Word tells us to wait, when He goes to work, the word suddenly often follows. He is the king of suddenly’s. This should give us hope!
Jesus then points out the lack of faith. Instead of focusing on his word, they were caught up in their circumstances. When we are caught up in our situations and let fear grip the life out of us, we must open our Bibles or get on our knees and seek His Word for hope and assurance. We must repent of enthroning fear and letting it control or consume our thoughts. Fear can become an idol in our hearts by taking up residency in our mind and keeping us up at night thinking of solutions, reasoning our way out of a situation. We must rebuke fear with the words of Jesus. He will provide. He is our Peace. He is our shelter and our defender. He is the King of Kings. No power is greater than Jesus. He is the solution and all our reasons.
We can’t sit around in the shame of our fears. We should spend most of our time giving God the glory of His power through whatever means He decides to deliver our hearts. When the disciples saw Jesus’ command of the wind and waves, they forgot about the storm and were in awe of his power. Their respectful fear of Jesus increased and the fear of their circumstances decreased.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for Your Word. It speaks to the depths of my heart like nothing else. You know my deepest thoughts and you speak to my heart to calm the storms below the surface. Help me to be more than just a hearer of Your Word. Help me to open my mouth and let the light of Your Word come out and bless those around me. I want my light to shine. I don’t want to lose what you’ve given me, Jesus. I want this light to spread and shine for all the world to see that they may see You and glorify You for the freedom and joy found here. You see the struggles and storms I’m in the middle of Jesus. Your Word tells me that you give me all that I need, you provide for all my needs. You are my shelter. My Defender. My security. My Peace. And so I trust You, Jesus. I trust you with my days, with my work, with my children, with my home, with my family, with my spouse. Still the winds and waves in my life with Your Word, Jesus. My mind is open, my heart is receptive. Speak to me, Jesus, that I may find rest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.