Speak Peace
Matthew 8:23-27 (also see Mark 4:35-41)
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by the waves;
but he was asleep.
And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."
And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"
Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
What man indeed. What man on earth have any of us ever met who sleeps through winds and waves and water seeping into his wave-riding pillow? Because the thing about Jesus is - he can sleep anywhere. Because he is always at peace.
And what man have any of us ever met that when someone wakes him up to the greatest chaos imaginable - the middle of a sinking little boat in the middle of a monster of a storm - and instead of nearly losing it he just smiles and says, "Come on you guys, don't you know me yet? I got this."
Who on earth can be peace itself in the middle of any storm? But Jesus not only lives in peace at all times, but he also creates peace in everyone and everything around him. He calms his disciples with a look and a gentle word, and after smoothing their fear back so easily, he turns to the storm and says, "Ok, that's enough for today. Quiet down." And with that he has taken hold of chaos and made it lie down and sleep.
He can calm the greatest of storms in us and around us.
This is not just any man! This is he who says, "The son of man has no place to lay his head" and then turns around, lays down in a boat, and goes to sleep. Oh to be at home in homelessness. To be at peace in chaos. To learn how to sleep in a rocking fishing boat.
Jesus, here I am in my storms and fears and terror. I'm crying out to you in fear, because I have not yet learned how to rest in restlessness. But I know you can speak peace over anything and it must obey you - you are the master peace-maker.
Speak peace over me.
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by the waves;
but he was asleep.
And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."
And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"
Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
What man indeed. What man on earth have any of us ever met who sleeps through winds and waves and water seeping into his wave-riding pillow? Because the thing about Jesus is - he can sleep anywhere. Because he is always at peace.
And what man have any of us ever met that when someone wakes him up to the greatest chaos imaginable - the middle of a sinking little boat in the middle of a monster of a storm - and instead of nearly losing it he just smiles and says, "Come on you guys, don't you know me yet? I got this."
Who on earth can be peace itself in the middle of any storm? But Jesus not only lives in peace at all times, but he also creates peace in everyone and everything around him. He calms his disciples with a look and a gentle word, and after smoothing their fear back so easily, he turns to the storm and says, "Ok, that's enough for today. Quiet down." And with that he has taken hold of chaos and made it lie down and sleep.
He can calm the greatest of storms in us and around us.
This is not just any man! This is he who says, "The son of man has no place to lay his head" and then turns around, lays down in a boat, and goes to sleep. Oh to be at home in homelessness. To be at peace in chaos. To learn how to sleep in a rocking fishing boat.
Jesus, here I am in my storms and fears and terror. I'm crying out to you in fear, because I have not yet learned how to rest in restlessness. But I know you can speak peace over anything and it must obey you - you are the master peace-maker.
Speak peace over me.
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