Trusting Jesus

"On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:35-41)

I was thinking today of the reasons why Jesus can say to his disciples "why are you so afraid?" in this portion of scripture. I would have been terrified. When waves tower over you, the wind is great, and the boat over the sea is sinking, there's room for all kinds of panic. At least it seems like it.

I was reminded of what Colossians 1:17 says about Jesus. That 'he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.' When Jesus was in Mary's womb, he was continuing to hold all things together. When he died on the cross, still he held all things together. So in this deep (apparently really deep) sleep, all things including the weather and waves of the ocean were being held together by him. Their lives, whether he would choose to let the waves overtake them or not, where being held together by him. He is the Son of God and there isn't a storm or circumstance that comes without his hand allowing it and orchestrating it.