³⁵That evening when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." ³⁶Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were other boats with him. ³⁷A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to  him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
   ³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
   ⁴⁰He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
   ⁴¹They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Jesus had been teaching all day in Galilee where large crowds of people had gathered on the shores of the lake to listen to him. It had been a tiring day and so towards evening Jesus decided to take his disciples with him to the other side of the lake. He would have been looking forward to a time of quiet away from the crowds. Exhausted after such a busy day we now find him at the back of the boat, 'sleeping on a cushion.' Part way across however, 'a furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.' Shaking Jesus awake, they shouted above the noise of the wind and the roar of the waves, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

Jesus responded to their cry with that voice that 'sounded like a trumpet blast',¹ "Quiet! Be still!" Immediately, the wind abated and the sea became calm.

Rebuked for their lack of faith, the disciples could only wonder, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him."

They had not yet understood, or they had forgotten, that present with them in the boat was none other than God in human form, creator of the wind and the waves, the one who 'sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command.'²

Likewise today there are towering waves that sometimes roll in over us. What are some of these fearful waves  that threaten to sink the fragile boat that we sail in? There are the waves of ...

DISCOURAGEMENT AND DESPAIR

One of Israel's song writers knew what it was like to have waves like these sweep over him. But he also knew where to look for help as he asks himself ...

   "Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again, my Saviour and my God Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember your kindness, from Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar.
   I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
   Through each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to the God who gives me life." (Psalm 42:5-8)

UNHELPFUL ADVICE

After some devastating experiences that had befallen him, Job found himself being swamped by the advice being offered by some of his friends. The counsel they were offering was based on wrong assumptions. Instead of being helpful, their words deepened his despair. He writes of his experience ...

   "They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters, in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me. Terrors are turned upon me. They pursue my soul as the wind, and my welfare passeth away as a cloud." (Job 30:14-15 KJV)

But in the midst of his distress, Job's thoughts turn again to the Lord, as he reminds himself, "I know that my Redeemer lives."³ After much questioning by the Lord and struggle within himself, he eventually, with renewed faith, acknowledges to the Lord ...

   "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You ask, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I. And I was talking about things I do not understand, things far too wonderful for me.
   You said, 'Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.'
   I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in ashes to show my repentance." (Job 42:2-6)

Having ridden the waves generated by his well meaning friends, and sailing on now in calmer waters, we read that "The LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning." (Job 42:12)

But there are also the waves generated by ...

OUR OWN SINFULNESS

Our sinfulness produces waves of restlessness within us, waves that we pass on to those around us. Isaiah writes of such waves.

   But the wicked are like the tossing sea which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." (Isaiah 57:20-21 NIV)

A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION

David found himself in situations like this on many occasions. Saul for example, opposed his appointment as Israel's king and sought to have him killed.  And then while reigning eventually as king, enemies from within his own nation as well as those from other countries round about threatened to roll in upon him. But he found refuge in the rocky fortresses of the Engedi wilderness and in his God.⁴

   David sang this song to the LORD after the LORD had rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. These are the words he sang:
   "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior. My God is my rock, in whom I find protection. he is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise. for he saves me from my enemies.
   The waves of death surrounded me. The floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me. Death stared me in the face. But in my distress I cried out to the LORD. Yes, I called to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary. My cry reached his ears ... He reached down from heaven and rescued me. He drew me out of deep waters. He delivered me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was weakest, but the LORD upheld me. He led me to a place of safety. He rescued me because he delights in me." (2 Samuel 22:1-7, 17-20)

PERSECUTION

This was the experience of the early Christians.  Dr. Luke writes of those days ...

   And as they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that he died. Saul was one of the official witnesses at the killing of Stephen.
   A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria. (Some godly people came and buried Stephen with loud weeping.) Saul was going everywhere to devastate the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into jail. (Acts 7:59 - 8:3)

Persecution of one sort or another is to be expected by Christians in every generation, for, as Paul; reminded Timothy, 'everyone who wants to live a godly life will suffer persecution' (2 Timothy 3:12). But when the waves of persecution threaten, remember, the Lord is right there in the boat with us.

   But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says, "Do not be afraid for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name, you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up, the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:1-3a)

There may also come times when we find ourselves threatened by the roaring waves of ...

DOUBT

There were a number of times when Peter was almost swamped by doubt. One such occasion was when he and the other disciples were once more crossing Lake Galilee. They were again caught in a storm, "for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves." This time Jesus was not with them but knowing the trouble they were in, as he always does, he came quickly to reassure them. While walking across the surface of the water Jesus called out to them above the roaring of the sea,
   "It's all right," he said, "I am here! Don't be afraid."
   Seeing Jesus coming towards them, Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water."
   "All right, come," Jesus said.

Setting out strongly in faith, all went well for Peter at first,

But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me Lord!" he shouted. Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. "You don't have much faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?" And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.⁵

As he began to sink with the waves of doubt surging over him, Peter found that the hand of the Lord was there to lift him up once more.

Being of a doubtful mind creates uncertainty. It becomes difficult to make decisions when opposing thoughts are rolling back and forth in our minds. James writes of this unenviable position.

   If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do. (James 1:5-8)

The waves of doubt recede when we turn again to the Scriptures. As we listen to their reassuring voice and to those who teach from them. Paul reminds us of those who God has given to us for that purpose.

   And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
   As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming, but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects unto him, who is the head, even Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-14 NASB)

There are also, as Paul has just reminded us, the destructive waves of ...

WRONG TEACHING

Jude makes mention of those whose teaching is misleading. Their teaching is destructive, threatening God's people like the wave of a 'tsunami'.⁶

   Dearly loved friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation that we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the truth of the Good News. God gave this unchanging truth once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God's forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives. The fate of such people was determined long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ ...
   When these people join you in fellowship meals celebrating the love of the Lord, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are shameless in the way they care only about themselves. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvest time. They are not only dead but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out by the roots. They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the dirty foam of their shameful deeds. They are wandering stars, heading for everlasting gloom and darkness. (Jude vs. 3-4, 12-13)

LONELINESS AND DEPRESSION

Elijah had just come from a confrontation with the prophets of Baal.⁷ It had been a time of great encouragement as 'the fire of the LORD fell.'⁸ But, nervously and emotionally exhausted following this outpouring of God's blessing, Elijah fell into depression as the waves of loneliness swept over him. So depressed and lonely was he, that he wished that he could die. As his ministry continued to be opposed and his life threatened,

   Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors." (1 Kings 19:3-4)

But, as we read on, we note that the Lord was with him there in his lonely boat.

   Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, and angel touched him and told him, "Get up and eat!" He looked around and saw some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, "Get up and eat some more, for there is along journey ahead of you." (1 Kings 19:5-7)

Exhausted in the Lord's service? Burnt out? Lonely and depressed? There is another in the boat with you. It is the Lord. Turn to him, 'get up and eat,' find your strength returning as you 'eat' his word. Just as Jeremiah did. He tells us of his lonely experience and of how God's word sustained him.

   Then I said, "What sadness is mine, my mother. Oh that I had died at birth! I am hated everywhere I go. I am neither a lender who has threatened to foreclose nor a borrower who refuses to pay—yet they curse me."
   The LORD replied, "All will be well with you Jeremiah ... "
   Then I said, "LORD, you know I am suffering for your sake. Punish my persecutors! Don't let them kill me! Be merciful to me and give them what they deserve. Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me. I burst with indignation at their sins. Why does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook. It is like a spring that has gone dry."
   The LORD replied, "If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak words that are worthy, you will be my spokesman. You are to influence them, do not let them influence you! They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall. They will not conquer you, for I will protect and deliver you. I, the LORD, have spoken! Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands." (Jeremiah 15:10-11, 15-21)

Also to be managed are the waves of ...

JOY

When waves of joy roll in there is a need to be especially careful. For it is possible one moment to be riding on the crest of the wave, but the next floundering in the trough of despair. Times of great joy may hide a shallowness that cannot sustain life in times of trouble. Jesus illustrated this in a story he told to a large crowd who had gathered to listen to his teaching.

   Later that same day, Jesus left the house and went down to the shore, where an immense crowd soon gathered. He got into a boat, where he sat and taught as the people listened on the shore. He told many stories such as this one:
   "A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted." (Matthew 13:1-8)

When the disciples asked Jesus to explain the meaning of the story, he replied ...

   "Now here is the explanation of the story I told you about the farmer sowing grain: The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts. The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But like young plants in such soil, the roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word. The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced. The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produces a huge harvest—thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted." (Matthew 13:18-23)

Notice the word picture generated by the rocky soil in the story: 'The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But like young plants in such soil, the roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word.' The message is received joyfully, even ecstatically, but there is nothing of substance underneath to encourage a healthy growth.

By now you may be wondering, with any one of these waves rolling in,

WHAT CAN WE DO?

When the storm is raging around us, and the waves are pouring into our boat, what can we do? We can do what the disciples did—remember that we are not alone. The Lord is right here with us in the boat. He will either take us safely through the storm, or he will calm the seas. For 'even the wind and the waves obey him.' David leaves us with this prayer of thanks as he recalls how the Lord was there with him in the storms that he encountered in his life.

   What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers, and to you all people will come. Though our hearts are filled with sins, you forgive them all. What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What joys await us inside your holy temple.
   You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas. You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength. You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations. (Psalm 65:1-7)

When the wind is roaring around you and your boat is being tossed around in the raging seas and you have nothing left to help you handle the situation you find yourself in, look around you, the Lord is right there in the boat with you. Another of Israel's poets creates this word picture for us.

   Some went off in ships, plying the trade routes of the world. They too, observed the LORD's power in action, his impressive works on the deepest seas. He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves. Their ships were tossed to the heavens and sank again to the depths, the sailors cringing in terror. They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits' end. "LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
   He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! (Psalm 107:23-30)

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¹ Revelation 1:10b.
² Hebrews 1:3.
³ Job 19:25.
⁴ 1 Samuel 23-24, 2 Samuel.
⁵ Matthew 14:22-33.
⁶ A sea wave generated by a disturbance of the ocean floor such as an earthquake.
⁷ See 1 Kings Chapter 19 for this story.
⁸ 1 Kings 18:38a (NIV)