“Never trust the sea,” my father would always tell me when we fished together. “The sea is the most treacherous thing you will encounter, son. It is always stirring and although it may appear to be calm on the surface, it can quickly betray you and turn violent in a blink of an eye.” When he would share this advice with me his eyes would always hold a deep respect and admiration for the sea, since he had spent most of his youth on it as a seaman. He would tell me stories of how horrifying it was when they would encounter a violent storm, or even a hurricane, in the middle of the ocean with zero visibility. When he would recall and share these stories, he would always end them by thanking God for the love and security He bestowed upon him during those terrifying moments. It is no secret that the seas are one of God’s most marvelous creations. Its depths still hold many mysteries that man has yet to uncover. Its vastness and might are a few of the many reasons man can agree that the sea is truly indomitable. Knowing how unpredictable the ocean can truly be only adds to the uncertainty a mariner may have when he is on a ship being violently shaken by the mighty winds, stirred by the powerful storms of the sea. Yet, when this exact situation transpired in biblical times, Scripture teaches us that the Master “was in the stern, asleep on a pillow” (Mark 4:35-41). It is astonishing to read of how our Master, wearied by a long day’s ministry, could be so peacefully asleep during the commotion of the impetuous seas. Undoubtedly, our Lord Jesus not only taught through word, but through action as well. When taking into account the immediate context of this story, Mark tells his readers of how Jesus taught parables related to faith the entire day. However, to His twelve disciples our Master explained in private the interpretations of the parables, explaining to them that “to you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11-12). It was certainly a privilege for the twelve to receive direct instructions from the Master personally but, as an old saying goes, with great privilege, comes great responsibility. Hence, the purpose of the violent storm they encountered at sea. Although Matthew, Mark, or Luke (the three accounts of this event) do not imply that Jesus knew this would happen, it is wise not to forget that he slept through the storm. When we examine the geography and atmosphere of the region where this event took place, this revelation regarding our Lord is truly mesmerizing. Dr. William McClure Thomson describes in his book, The land and the Book, that the winds are so violent and furious that they are as “funnels” sucked in from the mountains that surround the Sea of Galilee (Thomson, The land and the Book, vol. ii. pp. 32-33). The Sea of Galilee is completely surrounded by mountains and hills. It is approximately 3 ½ miles long by 2 ½ miles wide and its surface is 680 feet below sea level. These geographic conditions enable the winds to have the efficient aerodynamics to dangerously speed down the hills and menacingly toss the seas to and fro. Geographers have recorded in years past that waves do reach up to 20 feet in height when these storms begin to ferociously descend upon the Galilean sea (Beers, Un Viaje a Través de la Biblia, p. 254). Processing this information carefully, it is no wonder why the disciples were utterly afraid; yet, the Master slept peacefully. After having verbally taught his disciples about the importance of growing their faith, he did so also by example. One of the many lessons we are able to receive from Jesus speaks very loudly in His serene slumber in the midst of the raging seas. Our Lord’s complete reliance upon His Father is clearly visible in the description Mark presents his readers. What we see, is that our Redeemer practiced what He preached. Mark artistically draws with his pen the opposite sides of the proverbial coin. He describes two kinds of people facing an intimidating force of nature; one full of faith and the other lacking faith. Where dread and panic filled the hearts of the twelve, solace and calm held the Master’s heart steadfast. Observe that His serenity was even criticized by His own intimate circle as a result of their spiritual vision being shortened by their dread. “Teacher, do you NOT care that we are perishing” (Mark 4:38)? How cruel and unjust an accusation is made here by the twelve, but we must not be so harsh ourselves. Instead, let us make a reconnaissance of what our reaction has been when our lives whirl out of control and all seems to have been lost. To be just, we must recognize that they immediately turned to the Master for salvation. Although it is true that they were murmuring about the Lord sleeping through the storm, He is also the one to pinpoint the bitter root from whence this reaction sprouted. Christ’s reprimand to His disciples, after having ordered both wind and sea to cease its fury, is “have ye not yet faith” (Mark 4:40, ASV). Notice that our Lord’s chastisement is focused on their failure to put into practice what he has spent all day teaching them. Their misguided reproach to our Lord’s great calm in the face of adversity was a result of their failure to understand how faith is to fully develop. They had yet to understand the true meaning of the four parables the Master had taught them earlier. Jesus enlightens his disciples mind to see how a faint heart is the product of faith stagnate in theory only. Incomplete and immature faith will always lead a man’s creed to be “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14-16). The imagery Paul describes here is very similar to the description given by Mark. It is the same lesson the Lord Jesus admonished His disciples to heed to and also the one he kept in His mind while He slept. Our faith grows and matures through impetuous winds and violent seas. It is in these menacing circumstances when the theory we receive in the classrooms and auditoriums are to transfer into bold actions and spiritual decisions. Like the disciples, we are to turn to the Master seeking His refuge; unlike the disciples we are to do so with boldness and reverence allowing our trust upon Him to be the anchor that steadies the boat. Let us avoid making the grave mistake of accusing our Lord of being indifferent toward our perils, and instead follow His example of being in a state of great calm. As the apostle Peter, one of the twelve on that boat, counsels us to do, “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1st Peter 5:6-7). We humble ourselves, Peter teaches, by allowing Him to be the One to command the winds and the sea with His word. Therefore, let us rely completely upon His word and we will find immediate peace inside the violent storm.
