I’m certainly not a world-class traveler, and although my adventures have been limited to the shores of this gorgeous country that I call home, I still have a modest list of places that I have thoroughly enjoyed: those majestic Smoky Mountains, with their serenity and quiet beauty; the shores of the Florida coast, with those warm, white sands; and rural Maine, with its famous lighthouses, stunning ocean views from atop granite mountains, and peaceful fishing villages bubbling with local flavor. All three would certainly be included on that list. But two hours north of my home here in Pennsylvania is Lake Erie, by volume the smallest of the Great Lakes, and by depth, the shallowest, but in my heart, my favorite destination. Our family has created many happy memories along the shoreline of that freshwater lake.
Another lake is at the heart of our study today. The Sea of Galilee is a semi-tropical freshwater lake fed by nearby mountains and springs. Like Lake Erie, it is a shallow lake, lying a whopping 680 feet below sea level, surrounded by mountains that reach 2000 feet. When the clash of the cool mountain air and barometric pressure changes from the altitude extremes meet this warm, shallow lake, it can result in one violent mess. As strong winds are funneled through those mountains, the waves are whipped up, since a shallow lake cannot absorb the energy of those winds. The result-a flash storm. That is exactly what happened in our Bible account today.
Jesus was asleep on a boat on this generally serene and tranquil body of water, with his sea-worthy disciples at the helm of the ship. After pushing offshore, a storm explodes, “a great storm of wind, and the waves beat on the ship,” resulting in a boat full of water and terrified disciples. “Master, carest not that we perish?” was the alarm sounded by these panicked men. Then came the words of the Creator,“Peace, be still,” and that lake found its calm.
What touched me most today while reading this familiar passage was what happened a within a few verses of this event. A man “with an unclean spirit,” a tortured man seeking solace, cried out to Jesus. He was experiencing his own private storm. “Hold thy peace and come out of him,” was Jesus’ command, in the Greek the exact same command He would give the troubled sea. Whether it is a troubled sea or a tortured soul, only Jesus can give the “peace that passeth understanding.”
When Jesus got into that boat, He didn’t say, Let’s go out on the lake and drown, He said “Let us pass over to the other side.” He will get you to the other side, safe and secure, in spite of the unexpected storms. Regardless of the storm you are facing, He has the peace that you need.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Thank You for Your peace, the peace that sustains and carries us through the severest of storms and over the most turbulent of seas.