Sunday, April 25, 2021
Wherever Jesus traveled, His compassion for those suffering grew within Him. When the crowds gathered, bringing their sick and afflicted, He healed them. Matthew recorded, He “...healed them all” (8:18).
Sometimes, when the crowds got large and overwhelming, the Lord would leave them and move on to other parts of the country. This was true in Matthew 18 when they were in Capernaum, beside the sea of Galilee. “Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side” (Matthew 8:18).
“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:23-26).
We can hardly imagine what it was like to be one of the disciples on that day. Four of them were experienced fishermen who had survived many storms out at sea, but all of them became fearful and panicked. I have no doubt in my mind, I would have been right with them as they cried out to the Lord to save their lives.
Jesus rebuked them. “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” He wasn’t harsh or angry. The Lord was more concerned about their faith than He was about the storm! Yes, He knew what He could do to calm the storm, but He wanted them to be calm in their souls.
Before they launched out into the sea, Jesus told them where they were going. Their Master was right there in the boat with them from the outset of the journey. Instead of focusing on their destination, they got distracted and worried about the weather.
This same Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has told us about our destination. He is our Captain and Guide through the seas of life. But we must not lose our focus. The storms we face may become violent, but faith and a steady hand in His will help us not grow fearful.
“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10). —Chris