JESUS PROVES HIS SOVEREIGNTY OVER HIS CREATION
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“What kind of Man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!” – Matthew 8:27 –
Imagine the scene: The Sea of Galilee… winds raging at the sails… rain battering the fishermen’s faces… waves relentlessly splashing into their boat. Jesus and His disciples leave shore at nightfall on a calm sea. Yet during the night a powerful storm erupts.
Not an unusual phenomenon… the Sea of Galilee’s geography causes it to be extremely vulnerable to sudden, violent squalls. Located 700 feet below sea level, winds sweep over the eastern mountains and drop suddenly into the sea. When the cool highland air collides with the warm sea air, dangerously large waves arise that can wreak havoc on smaller boats.
Panic ensues as the disciples desperately try to keep afloat amidst waves swamping their boat. Where is Jesus, they wonder? Finding Him asleep in the stern, the disciples call to Him for help in their distress…
“’Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’…
‘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 8:25-26
The Creator is sovereign over His creation. Jesus commands the squall to cease. The storm yields immediately to His absolute authority. The sea instantly becomes placid and peaceful. The disciples, in awe of the miracle just witnessed, are incredulous. Who is this Man… could He really be the Son of God?
Jesus longs for His disciples to have a steadfast faith in Him that overcomes all fear. Yet they continue to be surprised and amazed by Him. Jesus desires our complete trust in Him that allays all our fears. We can rest in this promise David shares in the Psalms…
“I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4
At times, we too may be amazed when Jesus calms the storms in our lives… when He displays His supreme power on our behalf. Yet as we walk through life with Him… as we learn from Him… our faith, like that of the disciples, will continue to grow. We will come to have confident trust in Him to always be our Savior and Deliverer.
† Eternal Takeaway – Jesus calms our fears by His powerful presence in our lives †
