MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St. Mark

St. Mark 4:35-41

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THIS WELL known story is so full of spiritual instruction that it is always relevant to the believer whatever stage in the spiritual pilgrimage. Let us observe some of this instruction now.

The furious squall which hit the boat Jesus and the disciples were in, easily illustrates the many troubles in life which each of us experience. This one was life threatening. Although Mark is concise in is narration, it is plain to see that the disciples had struggled with the storm and that the boat was in great danger of being overwhelmed and sunk. Many troubles we have to experience are not life threatening in this way, though may be spiritually life threatening. We can identify in this storm both temporal and spiritual troubles which life brings our way, and if these troubles do not bring us to the brink of death, they often seem to overwhelm us.

The important thing to realise is that Jesus was with the disciples in the boat. The disciples had not yet realised the significance of this fact. They could only see that Jesus was not seeming to share in the sense of danger they all had, and as he was asleep, that he had done nothing to help them in their struggle to stay afloat. We know the importance of the presence of Jesus in the boat. Our trouble so often is that we forget the promise of Jesus that he will never leave us or forsake us, so that in our troubles, because we seem to be struggling on our own, we feel he is not there. This promise of Jesus, illustrated here by the presence of Jesus in the boat, we need to remember every day, and by faith lay hold of it all the time, so that when troubles strike we may not lose our confidence in this fact at the moment of need. As the disciples had no need to worry when Jesus was with them, so the believer need never worry because Jesus our almighty Lord is always with us.

There can be no doubt here that Jesus was seeking to teach the disciples a lesson about himself and a lesson concerning the faith that they could have in him. He specially lays stress on the faith they should have had in him in verse 40. There is no doubt in my mind that the storm was in the purpose of God for them, as was the fact of Jesus sleeping and appearing at first to care not at all concerning their plight. There can be no doubt also that many troubles that come the Christian's way have the same purpose, to teach us the lesson of faith.

The disciples had no scripture like this one we are considering to support them. They had not yet grasped what Peter later grasped that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. They did however have the Old Testament revelation of God's protection in the past, but not knowing Jesus as God, they could not so easily apply this to their circumstances. We have this Scripture to assure us that in the midst of troubles, Jesus is there with us, and we can rely on him to bring us through to the result which, in his perfect will, is best for us. But isn't it true that we need some experiences like the disciples were given here to press home to us the reality of the truth that as Jesus is with us always, we are safe in his arms. How wonderful is the revelation of Scripture, that we have here the answer to every aspect of life.

Prayer is the answer to every problem we face, whether it is one we feel we can cope with, or whether it is one that we feel is beyond our strength and ability. As soon as the disciples prayed, they received the answer and the help they needed. Some people feel that they should exhaust their own solutions to a problem before praying, and that praying is a last resort. This is so wrong. The disciples delayed their praying because they did not know that they should pray to Jesus, but if they had prayed earlier than they did, the answer would have been sooner, and they would have been delivered from much of the fear and pain they went through. It is invariably an element of pride creeping in, that cause us to wait before we pray. We do not like to feel that we are totally dependent on the Lord.

Let us notice that Jesus immediately responded to the disciples call for help, even though the way they prayed was not really a call for help, but rather a complaint that he was not helping them. How often, I must confess, have I prayed to the Lord in a similar way of complaint as did these disciples. We might easily have expected Jesus to be offended and give the disciples a rebuke before he helped them. The truth is that Jesus is full of compassion and love, and he hears and answers our prayers, even when they are so imperfect and impolite as this one. This revelation of Jesus is so so comforting. How often has prayer been overcome by complaint, and our prayers have come out with criticism and doubt, and not with submission, love and faith. Yet Jesus, as we see here, has always responded in love.

The miracle with which Jesus answered their cry for help is so marvellously glorious in its revelation of Jesus as our God and creator. The disciples expressed their profound shock at this revelation when they said, "Even the wind and the waves obey him." But in expressing their shock they showed that they had received the message, even though they did not at that time make full use of it.

The elements and natural order do not respond to orders from us. King Canute is supposed to have found this when he order the tide not to come in; yet here the wind and the sea obeyed Christ's command. It was no ordinary obedience. Far from the waves ceasing their rolling gradually as we would predict, rather the waves immediately stopped their rolling and their was an instant calm where there was even no swell. The wind too dropped at once. There was no time when its strength grew less until it ceased altogether. This is none other than the work of the creator God, who has complete control over every aspect of his creation. Here is clear evidence of the deity of Christ, and is meant to convince us, as it was so for the disciples, that Jesus is well able to protect and keep those who trust in him.

This story is a strong aid to faith. How can we not have confidence in the Lord in our troubles after reading the way Jesus delivered his disciples here. However it is also true that the lesson of trust and confidence in the Lord is a lesson which takes a long time to master. We may feel we have it grasped when life is running fairly smoothly, but the moment we are struck by trouble which we fear will crush us, faith so easily is lost. Let us remember the way Christ so lovingly dealt with his disciples here. He was not angry, but answered their prayer, even though is was made is so unworthy a way.