When I visited the land of Israel, I was surprised by the small size of the Sea of Galilee. This was no sea, but merely a lake some 21 kilometers long and 13 kilometers wide. I could easily see across to the other side. How could a storm on this tiny body of water terrify the disciples? Talk about a tempest in a teapot! I scoffed at their fear—until I saw the size of an ancient boat.
A museum near the Sea of Galilee displays the hull of a first-century fishing boat, the kind that Jesus and His disciples would have used. The shallow, flat-bottomed boat was merely 8 meters long and 2 meters wide. With thirteen men on board, it would have set frighteningly low in the water. Even slightly choppy waves would have washed over the side. I too would have cried out to Jesus if I had sailed into a storm on that dinghy.
The disciples’ boat reminds me that you and I are fragile. Our accomplishments might seem impressive to some, but in our heart of hearts we all know that our boat is small and shallow. It won’t take much of a storm to swamp us.
Aren’t you glad that the Son of God wasn’t too proud to enter our “boat”? He humbled Himself and entered into our frailty. He understands what it’s like to sail in a sinking ship, and He retains the power to do something about it. It matters that our Savior didn’t exercise His sovereignty over the storm from on high. He stilled the waves from right here. When “he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still,’” He was standing with us (Mark 4:39). He calmed the sea from inside the boat.
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the storms in your life? Cry out to the One who’s standing beside you. He’s Immanuel—God with us.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Timothy 6:3-21
More:
Read Hebrews 4:16–5:10 to learn how Jesus experienced our fragility.
Next:
Where do you feel particularly weak? Ask Jesus to step into your boat. How has He revealed His presence to you?
Gary Shultz on December 12, 2015 at 6:57 am
Pulled together nicely. Little lakes can still bring big storms with grave danger. It was certainly a learned comfort for the men to know Jesus being in the boat meant safety from anything. Today the eye can’t see Jesus in the boat, but our spirit is met by the Holy Spirit bringing the same peace everywhere at all times, not in the boat, but alive in the soul and spirit. As with the disciples, the lesson was learned in the boat, the promise and power was realized in their lives as they stayed with Jesus. Thanks, may your Christmas be joined by His joy.
Mike Wittmer on December 12, 2015 at 10:01 am
I also remember the story in Luke 5, when Peter begged Jesus to leave his boat, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man!” Peter didn’t yet understand the love of Jesus, but he realized the fear of God. Somehow we need to keep both of these in tension. We must fear because it is God who is with us. We must feel his love because He is “with” us–this terrifying God is for us, not against us.
sandy229 on December 12, 2015 at 9:01 am
God is my refuge in the storms of life
Mike Wittmer on December 12, 2015 at 9:58 am
Amen. There is no storm too big for His power and no storm too small for His love to join us in. Praise God that we are not alone in our boats!
jim spillane on December 12, 2015 at 11:59 am
Many struggle with this concept of “fear the Lord, your God,” and various phrases like it which occur many times throughout the Bible, because it seems like an oxymoron to them. Why should I fear a God who loves me so much? It has been explained to me that this is not the kind of fear that sends you cowering to the corner seeking cover, but more of a reverential awe in which you realize that yes, our Almighty Father certainly loves us, but He also has the power to cast us into hell.
Winn Collier on December 14, 2015 at 3:21 pm
Immanuel truly is the antidote to fear…yes, indeed.