Storm Shelter

If you have been following my posts, you may have noticed that I particularly moved by Jesus's use of the figurative storm in his teaching particularly in Matthew 7:24-27 where he details the story of the wise and foolish builders and how their houses weather the storm in direct relation to the builder's choice of foundation. Last Thursday during my morning quite time I came accross another scripture in Mark 4:35-41 referencing a storm that spoke to my heart of God's greatness. That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, " Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was,in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be Still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you afraid?" Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this?" Even the wind and waves obey him!" In this situation Jesus actually responded to his follower's concern by ending the storm that was troubling them, and I agree that his ability to do this is awesome, but i want to go even further by saying that I find his ability to draw us into the stern with him to curl up next to his secure warmth while the storm rages around us is an even mightier display of his power! I learned during the fierces storm I have incountered in my life so far that my God is so GREAT that he doesn't even need to calm the storm to bring me peace. He is so powerful that he can calm my fears in the midst of calamity, and having experienced the delight of curling up on the restful cushion with him while storm rages, I wouldn't have it any other way! Yes, being that the storm still raged, I sustained damages from the beating it gave, but even in that God has healed my heart and soul to the point of acceptance. Now, that is a powerful God that can turn memories of a nightmare into sweet, sweet dreams and what could have been bitterness and disappointment into beauty and destiny:) So I quote Jesus, "Why are you afraid?" He is awesomely powerful, able, and willing to take miserable circunstances and transform them into marvelous blessings! Rest with Jesus on the cushion in the stern while the storm rages! Yes, he could quiet the storm, but how muvh more awesome it id that he can quiet our fears, anger, bitterness, and disappointment during the storm! My God is an AWESOME God!