Theme of the Week: The Gospel of Matthew – King Jesus
Bible Verse: 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. Matthew 8:26
Scripture Reading: Matthew 8:23-27
My father and I heard the tornado siren crank up. The siren was less than a mile from their home in a small town, so it was easy to hear. It had been storming a bit, some rain and some wind, but nothing too alarming.
The siren only goes off when a tornado has touched down. Not when a funnel is spotted but when it touches the ground and begins to cause damage. When we heard the siren, we wanted to see, so we went outside. Yes, I hear you; that was not the wisest decision we could have made. But we wanted to see the twister. Standing in the driveway, getting wet and buffeted by the wind, we saw nothing. Then in a moment, everything stopped. No wind, no rain, there wasn’t even any sound. It was an eerie and ominous feeling. We immediately decided that the basement was rather inviting and quickly headed inside.
The tornado didn’t come past the house, but the feeling of everything suddenly stopping has stayed with me for years. I get why the disciples were amazed when Jesus calmed the storm (actually, Mark’s version says they were terrified, and I get that even more). Not only had everything gone from chaos to calm in a moment, an incredible experience in itself, but it had done so at the rebuke of Jesus. With a word, Jesus had scolded the storm as though it were a petulant child, and the wind and waves were duly chastened, tucking their tails like a repentant and submissive animal.
The way Matthew tells the story, there is no question as to what is implied by Jesus’s rebuke and the storm’s obedience (there isn’t a better word for what happened; it’s how the disciples understood it). Jesus was the one in control. Though the wind blew, the waves pounded, and chaos swirled, Jesus had the authority and the power. The King and Creator of nature had spoken, and His servants had carried out His commands. When Jesus speaks, things happen.
We should never forget that the Jesus we serve is the same one who calls the sun to rise and set and keeps the earth spinning in its orbit. The one who made and fashioned the universe still runs it.
Prayer: Lord, I wish I could have seen your awesome power firsthand. Thank you for your faithfulness as you continue to uphold the working and running of the world with your power.
Reflection: How do you recognize that this is God’s world? That the reason we do not spin off into oblivion is because He has set it to run a certain way and maintains it running that way. When did you last thank God for His faithfulness in keeping the world spinning? How do you recognize His power?
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