They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

— Mark 4:41

Have you ever been in a boat that seemed to be at the mercy of the wind or the waves, such that you found yourself praying to God for rescue?

In our reading for today, Jesus’ disciples were doing all they could to keep their boat from capsizing as they were crossing a lake in the midst of a storm. And, at the same time, Jesus was taking a nap!

When the disciples woke Jesus, they were alarmed that he did not seem to care about the storm and its danger. But then Jesus simply got up and spoke to the wind and the waves, saying, “Quiet! Be still!” Jesus’ words were not a plaintive request or even a prayer, but a command. And the wind and waves obeyed!

The disciples had just a moment of relief before another terrifying thought crept over them: “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” The disciples knew their Scriptures and were very much aware that, in the beginning, it was God who told the waters what their boundaries were. In the time of the great flood, it was God who commanded the waters to cover the earth. It was also God who had made a way for his people through the Red Sea. So the disciples clearly knew the answer to their question “Who is this?” And they were trying to come to grips with the reality that their friend, who had just been napping in the boat, was also the Lord of all creation!

Lord Jesus, touch us with appropriate awe and peace, knowing that you, the Lord of creation, have come to live with us, even (and especially) in the midst of life’s chaos. Amen.