Never AloneSample

Day 2: Be Still 

One of the miracles Jesus performed on Earth was the calming of the storm:

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?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” - Mark 4:35 - 41

In this story we have two different kinds of stillness:

1. There is a peace that Jesus makes through his actions – the wind and waves stop at his command.
2. The other is his own peace he has in his heart – he slept through the storm.

Many of us want to see the first kind where the circumstances around us are stilled and we feel more at peace. This is a good desire, and we love to see God move in miracles like this, but there is a deeper stillness on offer: Jesus’ own peace.

In the last hours of Jesus’ life, he speaks to the disciples about their very personal fears and tells them:

• "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." - John 14:27 
• “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

Not a peace offered by the world, not even a peace made by him, but the actual peace he has. Are we building our peace on what the world can offer? Money, relationships, popularity etc.? Are we building our peace on external circumstances we want or expect God to do for us? Or are we asking Jesus to share the peace he promised with us: his own peace, which means we can be still in and through anything?