In the Other Boat

In the Other Boat

Mark 4:35 – On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” 36 – So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him. 37 – Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped.

verse 38 – But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” 39 – so he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. 40 – And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?’ 41 – They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!”

I’m at the bedside of someone who is very ill. A storm is raging all around this individual and as I was reading this story out loud a part of the picture stood out for me and I had to start typing.  It’s all in the title.  I was thinking about the other boats.  They were all being tossed around too.  Even though Jesus was not in those boats, when He awoke He calmed the storm for everyone.

Can you imagine the wind and wave whipping around all the boats and the panicked eye-contact passing between the people between the vessels?  You have Jesus in your boat, they cry!  Do something about it!  They were all equally terrified.  Where was Jesus?  Asleep!  Why wasn’t He worried along with the rest of them? Didn’t He care about the life-threatening situation they were all in?

Sometimes we may feel like Jesus is not in our boat and wonder why those who appear to have Jesus are panicking too.  We hear so often that He is in our boats and we try to take comfort in that, forgetting that there were other boats that Jesus was not in, but the storm was calmed for them too.  What I’m saying is:  we may feel like Jesus is not in the boat, but rest assured He’s in the storm and if He’s calming the storm for one,  He can calm the storm for all. 

The wind and the sea obey Jesus, so it matters not what boat you are in, when He stills the wind and wave – you will feel it – believe in Jesus!  As I listen to the labored breathing of this one precious soul,  I pray for the presence of Jesus to be near and that when He calms the storm here – may the whole family be at peace.