Mark 4: 35 - 41
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 so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. With media bombarding us left, right and center, it is very easy to lose track and pivot into the hysteria. I found myself fighting the fear that creeps within us, while I see the madness unfold before my eyes. Then I stop myself and think:
When did I stop trusting God?
As a single mom, I have the obligation to take care of my family. I have no option. On the other hand, I want my family to be safe and healthy during this world wide pandemic that is shaking our lives. My mind goes crazy and I need to stop, reflect about the situation, take reasonable decisions and act accordingly. I am still working because my job is considered essential. When I heard I will be working during quarantine, I panicked. I was terrified of the outcome of my exposure to all of this. Then again, I was confronted with the same question, but this time I heard the Holy Spirit asking me: Why are you not trusting me? That hit me hard. I felt like I was doubting my sovereign God, and all the promises written in the bible about His people.
There is a story that jumped quickly into mind when I sat down to think about the situation and my options. The story involves a storm, the disciples that were scared and a sleepy Jesus. Jesus jumped in a boat with the disciples, to go to the other side of where they were. During the trip, a storm took place. The disciples were scared and unsure of what to do. Jesus in the other hand was in the stern, taking a nap. My first thought was: Really Jesus, a nap right now? But what Jesus did next is the lesson I want you to focus on today. The disciples woke up Jesus in panic asking: Don’t you care if we drown? Right away I thought: That is the exact same question we are asking God today. Don’t you care if we get sick?, Don’t you see what’s going on? Why are you allowing your people to go through this?
My imagination kicks in and I picture Jesus taking his time, walking slowly telling the storm: Quiet, be still! and suddenly the storm died down. Psalms 46:10 says: “Be still, and know that I am God” How difficult it is to stay still when we are in the middle of a storm! It is very difficult for us to be still and trust Him in the middle of this pandemic. Jesus didn’t seem bothered by the storm, he turn to the disciples and said: “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
We will face many storms during our lifetime. Not everyday will be a sunny day. Unfortunately cloudy days are part of the process and like every situation in life, we have options. We either worry or we trust. We need to worry about the things that we can control and let God handle the things we can not. God is in control of this pandemic, not you. Our job is to trust Him at all times. What you can control is your reaction to the chaos. Yes, we are afraid, yes, we are worried, yes, we all have concerns but I choose to Trust, I chose to Pray and believe that our Almighty God will move His hand and save our Land.
God is telling us today to be still and trust him. This storm shall pass. This being said, we as women of God need to obey and do our part. Respect our government rules and stay home. If you are a working, make sure to be alert, respect the social distancing rules, wash your hands constantly. Do your best to remain healthy. But most important, Be vigilant and pray. Your prayer time should be a priority right now. God has not changed, He is with us even when He is silent. Psalms 46: 1 says: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
