Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 2
Thursday


IN THE STORM

READ:
Mark 4:35-41
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[Jesus] said to the sea,
"Peace, be still!"
__Mark 4:39
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A storm was brewing__not just on the horizon but also in a friend's home. "when I was in Hong Kong," she shared, "the local meteorological service announced that there was a superstorm approaching. But more than the storm that was looming outside my window, there was a storm brewing at home. While my dad was in the hospital, family members were trying to balance their home and work responsibilities while also traveling to and from the hospital. They were so tired that patience was wearing thin, and the situation at home was tense."

Life can feel like a storm__tossing us around with winds of misfortune, grief, or stress. Where can we turn? When Jesus' disciples were caught in a great windstorm and wondered if He cared, they still knew where to turn. He demonstrated His power by calming the howling storm (Mark 4:38-39).

But often He does not calm the storm immediately. And, like the disciples, we may feel that he doesn't care. To calm our fears, we can cling to faith in who God is and what He can do. We can take shelter in Him (Ps. 91:1). We can find His help to relate to others with grace. We can rest in an all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving God. He is with us in the storm and cradles us through the storm. __Poh Fang Chia

`````````````````Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,```````````````````
```````````````````Or demons or men, or whatever it be``````````````````````
````````````````No waters can swallow the ship where lies`````````````````````
``````````The Master of the ocean, and earth, and skies. __Baker```````````````
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One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us
than we think. __Brother Lawrence

*********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Mark 4:35-41******************************

35 On the same day, when
evening had come, He said
to them, "Let us cross over
to the other side." 36 Now
when they had left the
multitude, they took Him
along in the boat as he was.
And other little boats were
also with Him. 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, be still!"
And the wind ceased and
there was a great calm.

40 But He said to them,
"Why are you so fearful?
How is it that you have no
faith?"

41 And they feared
exceedingly, and said to one
another, "Who can this be,
that even the wind and the
sea obey Him!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Today's passage from mark recounts an incredible display of Jesus'
power. As the Lord of creation (Col. 1:15-17), Christ had the right
and the authority to instruct the wind and the waves and have
them obey Him. Yet this miracle caused the disciples to fear greatly,
which prompted Jesus' statement in verse 40. the disciples feared
the storm more than they trusted the one who was with them in the
boat. Jesus tells them (and us) to trust what we have seen in Him to
get us through both the literal and metaphorical storm of life.