I hope everyone who experienced yesterday’s storms is well, and all lost power has been restored. But when I woke up this morning, the first thing I noticed was that, although it’s overcast, it feels different.
The air is cooler after a couple of days of intense heat, but it came at quite a cost. The driving rain, hail, winds, power outages, and tornado sirens reminded us just how quickly situations can turn and how little we control. It was a long night for many across northwest Indiana. Even now, with the storm passed, the skies remain gray, as if creation itself is still catching its breath.
It brings to mind another storm.
Jesus and his disciples found themselves in a small boat on the Sea of Galilee as a violent storm arose. Waves crashed over the sides, the wind threatened to sink the boat, and seasoned fishermen feared for their lives. Yet, as the disciples panicked, Jesus slept. To the disciples, his sleep seemed unbelievable. Didn’t he know? Didn’t he care?
Of course, Jesus knew. And cared.
His sleep wasn’t indifference but an illustration of perfect trust. The storm didn’t surprise him, and neither did their fear. When they finally turned to him for help and stopped trying to “fix” things on their own, Jesus stood, spoke a word to the wind and waves, and then said: “Why are you afraid? Where is your faith?”
Most of us wish Jesus would calm the storms of life before we ever have to experience them. Instead, he often reminds us that his presence is greater than the storm. Sometimes the wind ceases. Sometimes the rain ends. Sometimes the skies remain cloudy a little longer. But Christ always remains in the boat with us.
This cool, quiet morning is a gift. It reminds us that storms don’t last forever. They leave behind broken branches and interrupted plans, but they also offer the opportunity for grateful hearts and fresh starts. And the opportunity to trust the One who has authority over both the storm outside and the storm within.
Whatever storms you have weathered—or are still weathering—remember that Jesus hasn’t abandoned your boat.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for watching over me through the storms of life. Thank you for your presence when the winds howl, and the skies grow dark. Calm my anxious heart, strengthen my faith, and help me to remember that no storm is greater than the One who is with me. As this new day begins, grant us your peace. Amen.
