The Joy of the Resting Commander: Day 14 of Joy
He calms the storm.
He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Silence! Be still!’ The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ —Mark 4:39-40 CSB
The disciples were seasoned fishermen, but this storm was different. It was battering their boat, and more importantly, it was testing their faith. When they looked at Jesus, they didn’t see Him strategizing or panicking; they saw Him sleeping on a cushion.
We sometimes use our immediate danger to test God’s compassion. If there is a storm, we assume He must be indifferent. But this miracle shows us that Jesus wasn’t sleeping because He didn’t care; He was sleeping because He was in total control. When He stood up, He didn’t offer a suggestion to the weather; He issued a sovereign command. He calms the storm. With two words—“Silence! Be still!”—the chaos was forced to submit to its Creator.
Unsinkable joy is found in the realization that while the storm may be loud, it is not sovereign. The message of Mark 4 is that you don’t need the storm to stop to have peace; you just need to know who is in the boat with you. Jesus is not just the one who watches you in the storm; He is the one who sets the boundaries for the waves.
The 90/10 Rule of the Calm
[read this article to learn more about the 90/10 rule]
The 10%: The “wind and sea”—the literal noise, the splashing water, and the very real threat that feels like it’s about to sink your life.
The 90%: The Presence of the Commander. If the One who created the atoms of the wind is resting in your boat, you can rest too.
If you focus on the 10 percent, you will spend your life frantically bailing water. When you give the 90 percent of your attention to the fact that He calms the storm, your joy becomes a constant anchor. The storm is temporary, but Jesus’ authority is eternal.
What “storm” is currently shouting at you? Today, instead of trying to shout back at the waves or work harder to save yourself, sit in silence for three minutes. Visualize Jesus standing in the middle of your chaos and saying, “Silence! Be still!” Let His authority over the elements give you the joy of a quiet heart.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You that You are the Lord of the wind and the sea. Thank You for the joy of knowing that You are in my boat and that You have the final word. When the storms of life rise up, help me to find my rest in You. Amen.
View all messages in the series at: www.faithsaves.us/t/joy-series-faith-saves-us