Hidden Miracles of the Bible: Secret Wisdom Within the WordSample

Miracle of Safe Passage

Yesterday we read about the story of Jonah, and how even though he was headed in the opposite direction of his assignment, God still worked through Jonah to win hearts for Him right where he was. Today we will read about another journey by boat, and how God’s providence was in the words that He spoke prior to the embarkation.

In Mark 4, Jesus spent a long day preaching. In verse 35 the Bible says, "That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side.'"

The Bible records that while they were out on the Sea of Galilee, a ferocious storm kicked up and threatened to swamp the boat. The disciples woke Him, and Jesus calmed the storm. The disciples were terrified of the storm, but they missed the mark by not hearing Jesus’ promising statement in the first place—and I’ll admit I heard this story dozens of times before I caught it, too.

“Let us go over to the other side.” Such basic and simple words, yet they contain immense power. The hidden miracle revealed here is that when Jesus spoke this statement, He meant they would absolutely, positively make it to the other side. The boat wouldn’t capsize and sink, and all of the disciples would make it through the storm unscathed. There was nothing to worry about. This one statement from Jesus summarizes His overarching message from preaching earlier that day as recorded in Mark 4—that faith and fear are incompatible in the Kingdom of God.

After the storm, the disciples were likely even more terrified of the God inside their boat than the storm outside it. We need to trust Jesus in the storms of our life. We must believe that if He commands us to do something, we will weather (pun intended) the storms that come our way as we navigate our life’s journey.

There will always be storms, just like the squall that tossed that little boat on the Sea of Galilee. But we always have His word to fall back on, and His promises never fail. He will lead us and guide us in safe passage, and His word is always true.

Thought for Today: What is an example in your life where you were gripped by fear, but afterwards realized God was in complete control and you had nothing to worry about?