Daily devotional · May 23
Peace in the Storm
“When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him. Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?””
A sudden storm swamped the boat and the disciples panicked, while Jesus slept on a cushion in the stern. They woke him with an accusation: don't you care that we are drowning? He stood, spoke to the wind and waves, and a great calm settled. Then he turned to his friends and asked why they were so afraid. Two details stand out. Jesus was in the boat the whole time, and being with him did not exempt them from the storm. And their fear did not make him leave. He met their panic with power and then with a gentle question. Today, name the storm you are in and ask Jesus to be present in it. Breathe slowly, pray briefly, and do the next practical thing, remembering that he is in the boat with you.
Prayer
Jesus, you are in my boat. Calm what I cannot control and steady my heart in the meantime.