Jesus Calms The Storm

By Melissa Kramer, Trinity United Methodist Church

This week’s Scripture reminds us that to see Jesus, is to see and to know God.

One of my favorite stories of Jesus is when he calms the storm. I happen to enjoy Mark’s telling of the story the best. It can be found in Mark 4:35-41. To summarize, while Jesus and the disciples are on a boat, a storm comes that threatens their safety. The disciples start to worry and panic and they call Jesus to save them. Jesus gets up and commands the wind and waves to be still and everything becomes calm. As a child, and still as an adult, storms and bad weather frighten me. As a child, I was afraid of storms, especially loud, booming thunder and heavy winds. As an adult, storms cause me to worry and stress about the things I cannot control. I worry about the weather, but there are other “storms” in my life that leave me calling out for Jesus to help. The story of Jesus calming the storm reminds me that God can help calm the metaphorical storms in my life.  As Mark reminds us, “even the wind and the waves obey him.”  In the same way that Jesus calmed the wind and waves, I can ask God to bring peace to the areas of my life that feel out of control and overwhelming. When the water is crashing down, I know that God is more powerful than my fear.

The title of our Lenten series is What Do You See? When I see Jesus, I see a God who brings peace. I see a God who calms my anxiety. I see a God who keeps me safe.