The Gospel of Luke
This devotional is written by Hen Blyth. Hen works for Open Doors.
Luke 8:22-25
Jesus calms the storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we're going to drown!'
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 ‘Where is your faith?' he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.' So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we're going to drown!'
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 ‘Where is your faith?' he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.
Reflection
I have always thought Jesus was a bit tough on the disciples in this passage - Luke says they were in great danger and feared for their lives. Some years ago I heard Crispin Fletcher Louis (St Mary's resident theologian at the time) explain that the reason Jesus rebuked the disciples was because they did not understand that through him they had the authority to calm the storm themselves. They just didn't recognise the power they had through faith in him. That's why he challenged them: "where is your faith?"
Later I was staying with my sister's family in LA when we were caught in a violent tropical storm. I was flying back to England the following day and we had to get back to the city but the roads were really dangerous and the windscreen wipers on the car didn't work. The storm was truly frightening - wind lashing the palm trees and torrential rain - and my niece was just a toddler. We stopped at Starbucks and I went to the loo and was praying and suddenly remembered what Crispin had said. So I stood in the middle of the Ladies and commanded the storm to stop in the name of Jesus.
I kid you not within ten minutes it had become completely calm and we drove back into the city on empty roads because the storm had driven everyone inside. Coincidence? I think not.
Jesus told his disciples (and therefore us) " "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go..". Matt 28:18. Do we have the guts to exercise the authority he has given us?
Lord grow our faith and make us bold to use the authority we have in you, knowing that nothing is impossible for God!
Later I was staying with my sister's family in LA when we were caught in a violent tropical storm. I was flying back to England the following day and we had to get back to the city but the roads were really dangerous and the windscreen wipers on the car didn't work. The storm was truly frightening - wind lashing the palm trees and torrential rain - and my niece was just a toddler. We stopped at Starbucks and I went to the loo and was praying and suddenly remembered what Crispin had said. So I stood in the middle of the Ladies and commanded the storm to stop in the name of Jesus.
I kid you not within ten minutes it had become completely calm and we drove back into the city on empty roads because the storm had driven everyone inside. Coincidence? I think not.
Jesus told his disciples (and therefore us) " "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go..". Matt 28:18. Do we have the guts to exercise the authority he has given us?
Lord grow our faith and make us bold to use the authority we have in you, knowing that nothing is impossible for God!
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