Peace in the Storm

By: Reverend J. Loren Russell

Mark 4: 35-41 (NKJV)
“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

During my quiet time with The Lord this morning, I realized that it’s in those still, quiet moments that I spend reading and studying His word, reciting scriptures, meditating, and praying, that I hear His voice loud and clear. The Word of God quiets the storms in my spirit. It’s only during those quiet moments that His voice can be clearly heard through the words found written in The Bible. When I follow that experience with meditation, prayer and fasting, His presence is felt in my spirit. In those still, quiet moments, His voice whispers and I can hear Him clearly. It’s not like you talking to me, but an overwhelming warmth in my heart.

It is that same quiet voice that calms my soul and sooths my spirit, especially when I am going through the storms of life. If you don’t have a time that you dedicate to spend with Him, a time when it’s just you and God, you are missing the peace that only He can give, and you will never know the kind of peace, “shalom,” that can weather any storm, even the raging storm like the Disciples experienced.
Each of the synoptic gospels record the Disciples desperate cries to Jesus:
(Mark 4:38) “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
(Matthew 8:25) “Save us Lord! We are about to die.”
(Luke 8:24) “Master! Master! We are about to die!”

Life always has a storm brewing, one that has passed by, or a storm that is happening right now. If you do not know the one who can calm the furious storms in your life just as easily as he calms the raging sea, you need to be introduced to the one who calms the storm by simply speaking the words, “Peace be still!” The Disciples asked, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

The glory of God and the key to making it through a storm is found in the pages of the Bible. It’s not buried so deep that you need a bulldozer or a pickax to get it out. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist. Just look at the storm and hear what He said while His Disciples feared for their lives, “Peace, be still!” Jesus is the peace in the storm.

Be Blessed!

Rev. J. Loren Russell is President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial Strategy & Consulting; an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx; creator & host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook LIVE and author of Matters of Faith: The Book (eBook available at www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177)