Focus: God Cares About You!

Text: Mk.4:38

"And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

It was evening time. Jesus Christ had just finished with His great teaching, using parables. Exhausted, He asked His disciples to take Him into their boat to another region. Mark reports that "they took Him even as He was in the ship." This informs why He was so deeply asleep in the hindmost part of the ship. He was tired from work - from long hours of preaching and teaching, and dealing with human sufferings. That He could be tired and sleep off shows us His humanity, and that He could tame or calm the storm shows us His divinity. He was fully human, yet demonstrating the power of God and manifesting His glory. He possessed within Him the divine capacity to handle human impossibilities. He possessed the Holy Spirit beyond measure. The Spirit of the Lord was both in and upon Him. He was the anointed and appointed of the Lord God.

While sailing through the sea from one point to the other, the disciples found themselves in the middle of a life-threatening storm. Luke says that they were in great jeopardy. Matthew and Mark report that it was a great or mega storm. It came heavily upon them, and their boat was being filled with water. In fact, Matthew says that "the ship was covered with the waves…" Mark says, "And the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full." Luke in his own reporting implies that the disciples were drenched in water. They did all they could to control the waves, but all to no avail. Their energy, experience and intelligence utterly failed them. Yet the storm persisted, threatening to claim their lives. They raised alarm and cried out to the Master, who was deeply enjoying the gift of sleep. 

Fear takes sleep away from us, but faith relaxes our nerves and makes it possible for us to sleep sweetly even amid a great storm.

They woke Him up, saying, "Master, master, we perish." The repetition of the title of master shows their despair and desperation, and also the urgency of the situation in which they found themselves.

In the words of Mark, they said, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" They woke Him up, but He got up by Himself and addressed the storm. He was always ready and willing to save His people. He did not reluctantly rise up to rebuke the storm. He did it willingly and intentionally. He got up and showed that He truly cared for them. He was neither forced nor coerced to save them from danger and destruction.

What is important for us to note also is that He was in the same dangerous situation as them. He was in the ship with them. Whatever happened to them also happened to Him. We need to understand that God and His people are in the same boat, facing the same storm. 

He just can't watch His people go down. He responds when we call upon Him. He is the Master of the ocean and of all the elements of nature.

The Lord Jesus Christ rebuked the storm. He says, "Peace, be still." In the Greek, it is one word, and it means, 'Be muzzled or gagged.' He tied the mouth of the storm, which means that the storm had no right or permission to swallow the disciples. It is the same word He used in casting out a demon in Mk.1:25. Just a word from His mouth, and instantly, demons and storms bow their knees and heads! Jesus Christ controls the elements.

Matthew and Mark tell us that there was a great calm. As the storm was great, so was the calm that followed. 

He provides a great solution to a great situation.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not only rebuke the storm, but He also rebuked His disciples. In Mark, Christ says, "Why are ye so fearful? How is it ye have no faith?" In Matthew, He says, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" And in Luke, He says, "Where is your faith?" Their faith flew through the window. They lost faith. 'Little faith' means faith which cannot endure. It was a kind of fair weather faith. When trouble hits, it disappears. It is faith that cannot hold up against pressure. So when the storm came in full force it filled their hearts with fear, and their little faith could not stand the heavy invasion of fear into their system. They were fear-gripped. It is no wonder the Lord Jesus Christ asked, in the words of Luke, "WHERE is your faith?" Faith had disappeared from its place. Again He asked, "WHY are ye so fearful?" With the Master in their lives, their fear was baseless. The Master looked for faith in his disciples but found none. Faith was certainly nonexistent in them at the moment of the storm. They lacked the only spiritual ingredient that could help them tackle the storm - faith in their Master. They fought a demonic storm in the energy of the flesh. They struggled against what they had no power to overcome - the power of faith.

The Lord Jesus Christ saved them, not for their faith, but for being their Master, and for the fact that they pleaded for His help. Matthew says, "Master, save us." In the words of Mark, they said to the Master Jesus, "Carest thou not that we perish?" On one hand, they prayed for His help, and on the other hand, they felt that He couldn't care if they perished. That sounds like an accusation. They felt like He was being uncaring and heartless, but they forgot that He was also there in the boat, and that whatever happened to one happened to all, Himself included.

Look at them, accusing Him for the ugly situation that their fear brought upon them! They let their fears swallow their faith, and now they turned around and accused Him for not being concerned about their lives and for whatever happened to them.

Right now, settle it in your heart that God cares about you. With Him in your boat you cannot sink. The storm cannot swallow you up. Call upon the Master, root out fear from your heart and learn to trust God. The Lord will not leave you alone. He answers prayer. He has adequate power to handle impossible situations in your life. Nature obeys its master. Circumstances surrender to His sovereign authority. You cannot lose or get lost, being with Jesus Christ. He is more than capable to take care of the incredible. Surely, He cares about you. He is interested in your life and has power to calm your storms. You are about to wonder at the greatness and glory of your master, who commands the winds and calms the storms! Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter