Peace Be Still | crustybread

…But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ Mark 4:35-41 It never fails! Finally a moment of rest, you lay down and let the movement of the ship lull you to sleep and suddenly the alarm goes off. Of course it’s only a drill but since you are required to participate you get up to find masses of people rushing to the predetermined deck for further instruction in case of a real emergency. I can only image what the real emergency would feel like however, I would hope that I had enough faith to be calm and allow God’s peace to guide my actions. Traveling 680 feet below sea level and surrounded by hills, some as high as 2000 feet; the Sea of Galilee is naturally subject to quickly rising storms because of the different temperature and pressure changes. Figuratively, we too can find our selves in the midst of these kinds of storms, the ones that rise without warning and which we had no contribution. Take heart and know that with Christ, we are in the eye of that storm , the center in which rest can be found and peace be still.

Learning to simply rest in the stern of the boat amidst a storm, I believe is all part of the risk that God is willing to take with us. Perhaps the challenges we confront both great and small provide us with opportunities to discipline our hearts to the spirit of faith that God has given us. If we accept the gifts of God (Isa. 11:2-3′ 1 Cor. 12:1-11) without respect to its power and authority that we may discipline our lives in faith, we diminish our own fulfillment and restrict the fruit (Gal. 5:22-23) that it bears. Thus, we risk becoming like a loose canon crashing the sides of our own boat given to self-destruction. Storms may come suddenly, they may make us lose direction, they may even paralyze us with fear, but they are never insurmountable. Through Christ, God has already defeated the storms and in faith we have only to rest in God’s peace believing that absolute faith always protects absolutely.

Mark 4: 35-41 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace Be Still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid?”

2 Corinthians 6:1-13 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain…There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return… open wide your hearts also.

Psalm 9:10 Those who know your Name will put their trust in you, for you never forsake those who seek you O Lord.