Calming the Storm

I love storms. Their power and majesty give many of us a glimpse of what God’s power and majesty must be like if He can create something like this. However, other people might not agree with me about loving storms, because storms can cause massive destruction and take lives in a moment.

Calming the stormy sea

Picture yourself in the middle of a sea. The wind is howling, and the waves are enormous. Those waves are eight to 10 feet high, something almost never seen in these parts. Waves crash over the bow at such a furious pace that you aren’t sure how the boat hasn’t splintered into kindling under the relentless assault.

What’s even scarier is just how fast this storm blew up out of nowhere. Storms blow up quickly in these parts, but this storm likely broke the record for the fastest-moving storm the locals have ever seen.

As the panic level of everyone in the boat peaks at 11 on a scale of 1 to 10, here comes someone from down below. He holds His hands above His head and says two words: “BE STILL!” Just like that, the wind dies down and the water is calm. Those beside Him are in complete disbelief.

This is what I think Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee may have looked like, and what a sight it had to be. But, I can already hear skeptics saying, “Come on Chad, the storm wasn’t really that bad, was it?” Let’s dig into the topic to find an answer to that question.

Storms are quite common on the Sea of Galilee, even today, and it’s due to geography.

The Sea of Galilee isn’t a “sea” in the traditional sense. It’s actually a freshwater inland lake just over 12 miles long and seven miles wide. Deseret News says the Jordan River flows through it from north to south, on its way to the Dead Sea.

The Sea sits 680 feet below sea level and is surrounded by large hills, especially on the east side, where they can reach 2,000 feet high and are known today as the Golan Heights. These heights are a good source of cool and dry air and are typically where the most violent storms come from.

In sharp contrast to the cooler air up high, Christian Answers says the air directly around the Sea is semi-tropical, meaning it's warm and moist. The large differences in height between the surrounding land and the sea cause large temperature and pressure changes. That means strong winds drop down to the sea, flowing through the hills that funnel those winds right to the warm water.

Stay with me here. Because the Sea of Galilee is so small, these winds can descend directly to the center of the lake with violent results. When the contrasting air masses collide, a storm can come quickly and with almost no warning. Small boats on the sea are in immediate danger.

The Sea of Galilee, where a miracle took place

We’re almost there. The Sea of Galilee is relatively shallow, dropping 200 feet at its deepest point. That’s significant because a shallower sea is whipped by the wind much more rapidly than deeper water, which can absorb all or most of that energy. In other words, the storm wouldn’t be quite as intense.

If you remember, the 12 Apostles included some veteran fishermen among their membership. Andrew, Peter, James, and John all worked as fishermen. Matthew 4:18-22 says that Andrew and Peter were fishing when Jesus came knocking, and James and John were mending nets with their father when Jesus called.

Thomas, Nathaniel, and Philip may also have worked as fishermen. Remember, they were all together and fishing when Jesus appeared to them in John 21:2-8 after His resurrection.

I told you all that to prove a point: Several of these guys were experienced fishermen. If they were in full-on panic mode during this storm, it was an absolute monster. They had sailed through storms before, so they knew, deep down, they were in trouble. But Jesus took care of that monster storm with just two words. Have you ever really thought about what kind of power He had, even in human form? Mind-blowing!

A photographer sits atop the Golan Heights

Let me end with this, and I’m speaking to myself too. If Jesus can handle a storm like that, He can handle whatever life throws at us. I found some interesting perspectives I wanted to share with you from the Bible Reasons website.

Storms of life can absolutely overwhelm us and sap our strength and hope. There’s no doubt. Our strength is so finite. Don’t wait till you hit the end of your rope, but may I recommend you RUN, don’t walk, but RUN to the Father?

“Storms in life are not meant to break us but to bend us TOWARDS God.”

Ask Peter about this one. “We want Jesus to hurry and calm the storm. He wants us to find Him in the middle of it first.”

Last but not least, listen to this from George Macdonald: “How often we look upon God as our last resource. We go to Him because we have nowhere else to go. And then we learn that the storms of life have driven us, not upon the rocks, but into the desired haven.”

Do you see what he’s saying in that quote? Go to God in the middle of the storms. Trust Him, even when you’re afraid. It’s okay to be afraid. It happens to everyone. Can you choose to trust Him despite your feelings? I know from experience you’ll be surprised at the amount of peace you can have even in the middle of the storm.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

God Bless!