Daily Dose #85
GOD WITH US — PART 3 — WHO IS IN YOUR BOAT?
MARK 4:35–41 (ESV)
“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
Over the last two devotions, we have been reminded that God invites His people to dwell in His presence and trust His leading. In Part 1, Psalm 91 showed us that the safest place for a believer is not a set of circumstances but the presence of God. In Part 2, Psalm 23 reminded us that the Shepherd knows the way and can be trusted to lead His people even through difficult valleys.
This final part of the series brings those truths into a real-life storm.
The disciples were exactly where Jesus had told them to be. They were following His instruction to cross to the other side of the lake when a violent storm suddenly arose. This is important because it reminds us that obedience does not guarantee an easy journey. Sometimes the storms we face come while we are doing exactly what God has asked us to do.
As the waves crashed into the boat, fear took hold of the disciples. Experienced fishermen who had spent their lives on the water suddenly found themselves overwhelmed by circumstances they could not control. Meanwhile, Jesus was asleep.
The disciples woke Him and asked, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Fear had caused them to question what they already knew about Him. They had seen His miracles. They had heard His teaching. They had witnessed His power. Yet in the middle of the storm, their focus shifted from the presence of Christ to the size of the waves.
How often do we do the same?
When life is calm, it is easy to talk about faith. When storms arrive, it becomes much harder. Financial pressures, health concerns, family struggles, disappointment, uncertainty, and unexpected difficulties can quickly consume our attention. Before long, we can find ourselves focusing more on the storm than on the Saviour who is with us.
Yet the most important detail in this account is not the storm.
It is who was in the boat.
The same Jesus who was with the disciples before the storm was still with them during the storm. His presence had not changed. His power had not diminished. His care for them had not disappeared.
This connects directly with what we have already seen in this series. Psalm 91 taught us that God is our refuge and fortress. Psalm 23 taught us that the Shepherd remains with His people even in the valley. Mark 4 now shows us that God's presence is just as real in the storm as it is in the shelter or the green pasture.
Jesus stood and spoke three simple words: “Peace! Be still!” Immediately the wind stopped and the sea became calm. Then He asked the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” The issue was never whether Jesus had the power to deal with the storm. The issue was whether the disciples would trust Him while the storm was still raging.
This does not mean every storm disappears immediately. There are times when God calms the storm around us, and there are times when He strengthens us within it. Either way, His presence remains the same.
This is why ISAIAH 41:10 (ESV) says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.” God's greatest promise has never been a trouble-free life. His greatest promise is His presence.
The disciples reached the other side because Jesus was in the boat with them.
The same is true for every believer today.
The storm may be real.
The waves may be high.
The journey may feel uncertain.
But if Christ is in the boat, you are not facing it alone.