Why are You Afraid

Mark 4:35-40 NRSV

“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 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?” 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? Have you still no faith?”

Storms arise quickly on the Sea of Galilee because of the cooler air from Mt Hermon meeting the warmer air from the Sea. So the boats were subjected to the storms, which were usually about midday.  Jesus was asleep in the stern, the lowest part of the boat. He didn’t not respond to them but rebuked the wind and spoke to the sea. That rebuking suggest that there was a demonic source of the wind. Gods knows the source of our storms.

Then Jesus asked them, “Why are you afraid? “ He not question them for disturbing him with their fear but for disturbing themselves with their fear.  I like a clue that Jesus gave, when he got into the boat, he said,”Let’s go to the other side.” That was a clue that they would make it across the troubled waters. 

Come on. God knows the source of those storms that arise quickly in our lives. And he speaks to them in so many different ways. If we can remember our ‘before’, then we can live easier in our ‘now’. When we got us through before, he’s doing it now.  

Tye Tribbett says, “If he did it before, he’ll do it again. Same God right now, same God back then.” Oh won’t he do it? 

I’m a witness. Yes he will.  And we don’t have to be afraid. More later.