Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart: http://sothrichfield.podbean.com/
Matthew 8:23-27 (NIV)
Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
When I was a child people would say: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”. As we grow up we know this is not true. Words are powerful. They can make promises, encourage, and praise. Or they can tear down, belittle and criticize. But no one’s words are quite like God’s. His words create reality. When God created, all he did was say something and it happened. Here, Jesus speaks and His creation listens. The irony is that the crown jewel of all creation is humanity who is made in God’s image. But humans refuse to listen to the peaceful, lifegiving voice of God. Let us pray that God would open our ears so that we would be able to hear His voice and respond like the winds and the waves.