In the evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us cross to the other shore.” And as the crowds dispersed, they took Jesus with them, since they were all in the boat together. Other boats also sailed nearby.
Soon a violent windstorm arose, and the waves broke over the boat, which began filling with water. Meanwhile, Jesus was sleeping in the stern. So, the disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are going to drown?”
Then Jesus arose, rebuking the wind and the sea. “Silence!” he commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and everything was perfectly calm.
Mark 4:35-39
Notes for Contemplation as You Use this Devotional:
- This story about Jesus from the Gospel Writer called Mark, is reflective of Psalm 107. The teaching is so profound that the Gospel Writers called Luke (8:22-24) and Matthew (8:23-26) also tell their own versions.
- This story specifically describes both Jesus’s humanity and his divinity. He is a human being who has worked all day, preaching and teaching, and has gotten tired. He needs solitude, away from the crowds, after a long, full day. Yet, he remains aligned with God, always our source of deep, inner calm and peace of mind. Jesus’s faith in God is bigger than any storm; therefore, it is powerful enough to quell the disciples’ panic and calm raging winds.
- Minister and Master Teacher Emmet Fox says that “a positive, constructive, don’t-care feeling is very valuable” for us, because “the value that any experience has for us is the value that we put upon it in our thought.” So, “a ‘big’ difficulty” will be “what we consider big. To God, there are no big and no little demonstrations. Big and little are qualities that lie in our own thought.” So, if we “minimize the problem” and stop thinking of it as so important, we can be calm, no matter the circumstance.
Contemplation Questions:
Ask yourself:
- What is currently occurring in my life which seems like a big deal?
- List, word map, or illustrate anything which applies.
- Then note all the reasons they are big.
- Also note whether anyone else is in this same boat with you.
- What is currently occurring in my life which seems small, like no big deal?
- List, word map, or illustrate anything which applies.
- Then note all the reasons they are small.
- Also note whether anyone else is in this same boat with you.
- What do I do to find solitude, rest, and quiet, especially after long, full days of work, whatever the work may be?
- List, word map, or illustrate everything you do.
- What do I do to remain calm, even when others around me are anxious, fearful, or panicking?
- List, word map, or illustrate everything you do.
- When I tune into my own heart, how do I feel about the big deals and the small matters?
- Without judging or analyzing yourself, freely list, word map, or illustrate how you feel.
- As I stay tuned into my heart and contemplate all my answers, what are at least three (3) ways I can minimize what has seemed so big, so it does not “drown” me and/or others?
- List, word map, or illustrate as much as you can imagine.
- When I contemplate all my answers, what are at least three (3) ways I can discern what is mine to do as I keep faith with God, rather than with any storms?
- List, word map, or illustrate as many ways as you can.
As you work with this devotional, know that you are a divine, beloved creation of God. Be gentle with yourself as you honor both your humanity and your divinity. Remember that what may have seemed a big deal at first is a much smaller matter now, because your faith is deepening. As you remain grounded in your faith in God, you will feel calm in whatever literal or figurative storms you may face. Also, keep using your prayer, meditation, and contemplation time to affirm and give thanks for God’s ever-abiding presence in all aspects of your life.
© 2021 – Rev. Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.
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