In Faith

Matt.8: ²⁴ “Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” [NIV]

From today’s Scripture reference, we can see that there are two ways to respond to storms. The disciples exemplify the first way, which is to panic. They panicked and all their years of experience faded away. Jesus exemplifies the second way to react to storms, Matt.8:²⁴ “…so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.” Jesus responded in peace. Don’t you just love Jesus?

The first thing we see in this story about Jesus is that He was human. Jesus had preached all day and he was tired. Jesus was human. That makes me feel good. The second thing we can see about Jesus is that he was not worried even though he was human. If you and I must be like Jesus, what should happen to our worries? We ought to ease worries out of our lives. Jesus was setting an example for us in this regard.

The example Jesus was setting for us is that sleeping can be a statement of faith. There is so much going on around you and the storms are raging and the waves are crashing down on your boat. But you can still go and sleep; that can be a statement of faith. But ironically, human beings react to crisis by losing sleep. But Jesus’ reaction is to give sleep. Ps.127:² “….He gives His beloved sleep” [NKJV]. The reaction of the natural man is to lose sleep. Ps.127:² “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know that he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?”[MSG]. Stop worrying, stop thinking, stop reacting in the flesh, just stop and sleep, in Jesus Name.

There has been no issue that has kept me from sleeping – none, not once! I hit the bed and I sleep off immediately. I have been through a lot but nothing takes my sleep. I can stay up to work and to pray but you cannot catch me even losing thirty minutes of my sleep to worrying or thinking. Make up your mind not to lose sleep to fear ever again – never again! Jesus chose to sleep and He extends this same peace to us as His beloved.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let the peace that You give flood my heart and overflow in my responses regardless of what I am faced with, in Jesus Name. Amen!