³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace,^[a] be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:37-39 NKJV)

In our passage today the disciples were in the midst of a storm and Jesus was peacefully sleeping in the boat. They woke Him and asked if He cared at all that they were about to die.

Let’s stop right here for a moment. They asked the God of the universe if He cared. The man who would soon give His life for them and every one of us. I do not think His love was at question here. No, it was their faith they were questioning.

We may often do this too. It is not really God we are questioning but our faith. And note, while Jesus calmed the storm in their case he may say “Peace, be still!” to either our storm or to us in our case. As we know, God does not always calm the storms we are going through, but He may well tell us to be calm within the storm. Not because He does not care, but because He cares so deeply. He wants for us to walk calmly through the storm with him.

Reflect on: If God is calling for peace in your situation or peace in you in the midst of your situation. There is possibly more to be learned in the latter.