Storm and calmBy the Reverend David Burgess
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,So begins the famous poem Sea-Fever by John Masefield. For those who are fascinated by the sea and take every opportunity to enjoy it, as I am and do, this poem captures the essence of what the sea inspires.
And all I ask is a tall ship and star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
But there’s another side to the sea: for all of those who venture onto it, there must be a certain respect. All the enjoyment or confidence in the world won’t keep you from rough seas or storms when they happen.
I’m reminded in this of the story of Jesus calming the storm. His disciples weren’t exempt from danger just because they were following him. They were in the path of duty, obediently following Jesus wherever he went. But in the story we see them in trouble, tossed up and down by the storm and in danger of being drowned.
Christians can’t expect everything to be smooth in our journey. We mustn’t think it a strange thing when we have to endure sickness, loss, bereavement, and disappointment, just like everybody else. Jesus does offer grace and forgiveness and strength for the living of our days, but he never promised that we’d have no problems.
Sometimes Jesus stills the storms. We need to always remember the power of God, and the fact that nothing is impossible with him. We need never despair. But we also need to know that sometimes he lets the storms rage. Sometimes he’ll allow us to go through the storm as a test of our faith, as a way of refining us and proving to ourselves that we have an overcoming faith. In fact, in the story, Jesus probably hadn’t intended to still the storm. He intended to sleep right through it while the disciples handled it themselves. He stilled the storm because of their lack of faith.
Without storms, our faith wouldn’t be mature and our lives would be incomplete. Through difficulties come victories. The trials we face build our faith; make it increasingly waterproof, if you like.
There’s one last thing to notice. After Jesus says “Peace! Be still!” the Bible records “Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm”. Note that specific sailing term. What’s it like inside you today? A raging storm or a dead calm? Have you discovered the stillness of Christ? I believe God desires that we experience this kind of tranquillity – a kind of peace that trusts in God even in the midst of the storm. It’s a peace that depends not on the absence of trouble, but on our faith in Jesus.
Is your faith dry-docked or waterproof? Are you land-locked by fear or are you sailing to the horizon with an unquenchable faith? God is calling you to move away from the shallows, to sail into the deep. Don’t be afraid. Trust Jesus, even in the storms of life.