As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” (Matthew 8:23-27)

In today’s Gospel, we hear about Jesus sleeping peacefully in a boat in the midst of a violent storm, while the disciples were in terror at their perceived impending demise. It is interesting to note that the disciples trusted Jesus enough to follow him into the boat but lost this trust when a storm raged around them. It is also noteworthy that Jesus remained contentedly resting in the midst of the chaos. Once the disciples called out to Jesus, he immediately responded with assistance, though not without exposing their lack of faith.  

How many times have you been in the midst of life’s storms wondering whether God is there? How many times have you felt alone and fearful, searching for God among the chaos? God does not always calm the storm around us, but he always answers our call for assistance and provides peace while in the storm. God is always there, resting in His creation as we should be doing. We are not promised a world free of storms, but we are promised a permanent union with God and peace in our hearts, if only we ask. We say that we are willing to follow Jesus anywhere, but when the road gets rough, we panic, wondering if God has abandoned us. God has never abandoned us and will answer our cries by giving us peace in our souls. If your boat is being rocked by savage waves, remember that Jesus is always resting peacefully in the boat alongside you, and He asks that you keep that peace in your heart knowing that all is well and good, despite what is going on in the world around you.  

Copyright 2022 Jessica Tucker