The disciples of Jesus were on the sea in a terrific storm. The winds sweeping down from various quarters into the valley of the lake had "lifted up the waves thereof," (Psalm 107:25) so that the boat was tossed about like a toy. The men were at their wits' end, for neither sail nor oar could make any headway against the tempest. The waves dashed over the boat, and beat into it until it was full and in a sinking condition.
Destruction seemed to be the only thing before them, when they thought of the Master. Where is He? In the midst of the tumult He is quietly sleeping in the hinder part of the boat. "And they awoke Him, and said unto Him, Master, do You not care that we perish? And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:38-40)
As we read the record we cannot help wondering at the reproachful question which they asked Jesus, "Do you not care that we perish?" (Mark 4:38) "Are you so unmindful of us that you can calmly sleep while we are about to be swallowed up by the sea? Is this your care for those who have left all to follow you?"
Their thought was only of themselves, and they did not stop to consider that He was in the boat with them. In their faithless fright they did not think that if the boat went down with then, supposing that it were possible, it would take Him down too.
If they had but allowed this thought to come into their minds, it would not only have checked their selfish reproach of the Master, but it would have calmed their fears; for surely He who made the sea, and to whom it belongs, "[who] has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm," (Nahum 1:3) could not perish in the stormy waves. The creature could not destroy the Creator. So the fact that Jesus was in the boat was the surest protection that they could have. It was safer in the storm with Him than in the calm without Him.
Is there not in this a lesson for us? How often when people are in deep distress and affliction,--when the waters have almost overwhelmed them and the proud waters have actually gone over their souls,--they say, "Why do we suffer this? Has God forgotten us? Does not the Master care for our trouble?" "Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: Then the proud waters had gone over our soul." (Psalm 124:4-5)
Oh, how many, many times has the Master been pained by such words of selfish, faithless reproach from those who call themselves by His name!
But, what are the facts in the case? The Master is actually in the same trouble with them, and, although to them He may seem to be sleeping, and indifferent to their fate, He is suffering as much as they. Listen to the words of eternal truth: "When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you. Since you were precious in my sight, you have been honorable, and I have loved you; therefore will I give men for you, and people for your life. Fear not; for I am with you." (Isaiah 43:2-5)
Do you say that this promise is for those who have perfect trust in God, but that you are too unworthy for it to apply in your case? Not so; remember the disciples in the boat; their fears had drowned their feeble faith, yet the Master was with them nonetheless. And His promise is that He will be with us; nay, He is with us. "If we believe not, yet He abides faithful; He cannot deny himself." (2 Timothy 2:13)
It is this knowledge of His faithfulness that begets faith in us. Read also the words concerning the Lord's presence with His people in the past, and remember that: "[He is] the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them, and He bore them and carried them all the days of old." (Isaiah 63:9) "There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rides upon the heaven in your help, and in His excellency on the sky. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He shall thrust out the enemy from before you; and shall say, Destroy them." (Deuteronomy 33:26-27) "Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Have you not known? Have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might, He increases strength." (Isaiah 40:27-29)
And yet feeble men, who cannot see one moment ahead of them, and who can see only the most insignificant portion of that which is present with them, dare to murmur against God, because they cannot understand His dealings with them.
There is not a human ill but that Jesus knows it, "For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:14)
Not only does He know, but He cares. "Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
Not only does He know our trouble, as something that He sees, but He actually shares it. He took on Him our nature, being made in all things like unto His brethren. "For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:16-17) Thus He established a connection between us and Him, so that whatever affects us affects Him.
How, then, can we murmur and complain? How can we fear and be troubled for the future? Is not the Master in the boat with us? Is He not sharing our danger? Do we believe the assurance of His word? Then how can we spend time pitying ourselves? To do so--to murmur at our hard lot, or to wonder why such trials are allowed to come upon us--is to disbelieve the Master's words: "I am with you;" (Matthew 28:20) "I will not leave you, nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)
And then it is not only that our selfish fears will be forgotten in the thought that Jesus shares our trouble, but we may rejoice in the midst of the storm, knowing that He cannot perish, and that therefore while He is with us we cannot perish. Though death itself may come, that need not shake our faith, for He died, and in that very act conquered death. Even in this we may triumph. For, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For your sake we are killed all the day long;we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39) "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." (Psalm 46:1-2)
Whatever the danger, however great the storm, we may be calm in the confidence that He who rules all things is with us, and so we may say, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid." (Isaiah 12:2)--Signs of the Times, September 21, 1891--Timeline: IV-26 (The Storm on the Lake)--Mark 4:38-40.