Awaken in Case of an Emergency

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. – Matthew 8:24, NASB

When you are surrounded by a raging storm in your life, how do you respond? Are you like Jesus, asleep in the boat while the waves crash over you? Or are you panicked like the disciples:

They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

I’ve certainly felt like the disciples when a horrific life storm overtakes me with trials that make me feel like I will perish. I cry out to Jesus, “How can you sleep through this storm? Why don’t you do something?” What I don’t realize is that Jesus is doing something. He is modeling how we should respond to the storms in life.

Asleep in the boat; totally at peace; trusting God is in control no matter what; that is a response. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phillipians 4:7). I may think that Jesus should join my panic, but he knows better. He is asleep in the boat modeling what our faith in God should look like.

What’s interesting is that Jesus rebuked the disciples before he rebuked the storm: He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm 8:26).” Jesus invited them—he invites us—to have a bigger faith. He shows them that God is sovereign and in control. He models a faith in God that lets you sleep while storms rage around you.

The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” – Matthew 8:27, NASB