Leave Jesus Alone, He's Taking A Nap


"It's a good thing you woke me up! That was a close one!"

This is actually something Jesus never said. It seems like something he could have said, but instead we find this,

"He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." Matthew 8:26.

The setting finds Jesus and the disciples in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had gone below deck and fallen asleep. An unexpected storm sprang up that was beyond ordinary. There were experienced commercial fisherman among the disciples. They know how to handle a boat in a storm, but they're afraid. The waves were high, and the winds became violent. As they battled the storm, struggling to keep their boat afloat, Jesus continued to sleep.
Finally they went below deck to wake him. 

"Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Matthew 8:25.

As we read above, Jesus got up and rebuked the storm. Everything was immediately calm. It's an incredible display of God's power over nature, but it's Jesus' response that contains the most valuable lesson. He doesn't commend them for waking him. Why? Because no one was going to drown. Things weren't better now that Jesus was awake. Things were already fine because Jesus was in the boat. 

There was nothing to be afraid of.

There still isn't.

God with us means we don't have to fear. I'm not safer after the storm calms. I'm safer when God is with me. In the storm with Jesus is safer than no storm without him.
Are you in a storm? Life throws some pretty violent stuff our way sometimes. As long as Jesus is with you, you don't have to be afraid. Trust him.

Following the Son,
James A Williams

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