Standing on the shores of the Sea of Galilee I gazed out across the glasslike water. The surface was so still, it reminded me of a magnificent mirror. The calmness of the water ensured a near perfect reflection of the surrounding Galilee mountains.

 I felt a holy hush settle gently as the peace of the scene surpassed the water’s edge and wrapped itself around me. I was no longer viewing a tranquil reflection, I had become it.  The peace I perceived now sprang from within me.

 As I considered this, I was reminded how this scene can change in an instant. The Sea of Galilee is known for sudden squalls. The air becomes electric and driving wind creates sharp white peaks, forming choppy waves. The once pristine and peaceful reflection of the water could be shattered into a million jagged shards by the changing environment.

 The thought crossed my mind that when a storm hits, the water can no longer reflect the beauty around it, only the veracity of the turmoil upon it.

 So often this is what happens in life. When circumstances are clear, we reflect the calmness of those pristine moments. When the storms hit, our peace is shattered and we struggle to reflect anything more than the chaos that is upon us.

 Standing on the shore, I recalled the passage in Mark 4:35-41. After a long day watching Jesus perform many miracles and sitting under His teaching, the disciples set out from near the place I stood. They were probably chatting and reliving the excitement of the day as their boat skimmed across the calm surface towards their destination.

 Then an unexpected storm broke their peaceful journey. This was not just any storm, but a storm that was ugly enough to scare these seasoned fishermen into confusion and calamity.

 Reacting to their circumstances, they shouted at Jesus to wake up and do something. Anything to save them! Their fear was justified. Their reaction: human.   

 Jesus awakes and fixes the problem. He speaks to the storm and He calms it.

“Silence! Be still!” (Mark 4:39 NLT)

 Those words pound in my heart. I have a sense that the command He gave was not just to the waves outside the boat, but to the worried inside the boat too.

 “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40 NLT) 

Jesus’s frustration was evident, but was he being unreasonable?

 I Imagined myself in that boat as I gazed across the Galilee. In all honesty, I would have been more likely to reflect the fear of the disciples than the peace of Jesus. I probably would have been yelling the loudest.

 I felt a sense of conviction as I realised that this was often my response in life’s storms.  I react with fear and shout at Jesus to fix it all, just like the disciples.

 So what was Jesus getting at? There must be more, otherwise He would not have challenged the disciples.

 After months of following Jesus, seeing what He did, listening to His teachings, Jesus was annoyed that the disciples forgot they were His disciples!

 A disciple is one who is in a dedicated relationship with another. They actively imitate the life and the teaching of their master. The master deeply cares for the disciple and invests all that they know and have into them. The disciple is meant to be a reflection of the person they are dedicated to. Just like a son is a reflection of their father.

 In that moment, the disciples forgot who they were with and how they should be responding. In the storm, the disciples chose to reflect the madness rather than the master.

 They should have known that Jesus’s love for them would keep them safe no matter what they faced. This is the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, to know how deep His love for us is.

We too as His disciples have this security. No matter what happens in our other relationships, Jesus rests in the middle of every situation with us.

 When storms hit, speak calm to the waters, just like Jesus did. Silence the wind of the enemy, and command the peace of God’s love for you over the waves. Then, you will be able to reflect the master the best.

 The waters of the Sea of Galilee could only reflect the nearby beauty when they were still. Likewise, when we maintain His peace it allows us to be a better reflection of our master to the world around us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charissa Steffens is a teacher with a background in business and publishing. Passionate about strengthening the Body of Christ she holds a Master of Arts (Biblical Studies) and minsters through the spoken and written word. She writes for the love of it at her blog www.abidingmatters.com.au. She serves in her home church in Brisbane, Australia. And is oh so happily married to David with whom has two beautiful children, Elisha and Lucas.