MIRACLE
IN THE STORM

Topics: Assumptions; Attitudes; Awe; Education; Faith; Fear of God; Glorifying God; Miracles; Power; Reverence; Wonder; Worship

References: Job 25:2; Habakkuk 3:2; Matthew 8:23–27; 9:8; 11:25; Mark 4:35–41; Luke 5:26; 7:16; 8:22–25; 10:21; Hebrews 12:28

A group of Laotian refugees who had been attending the church I pastored in Sacramento, California, approached me after the service one Sunday and asked to become members. Our church had sponsored the newcomers, and they had been attending the church only a few months.

They had only a rudimentary understanding of the Christian faith, so I suggested we study the gospel of Mark together for a few weeks to make sure they knew what a commitment to Christ and his church involved. They happily agreed.

Despite the Laotians’ lack of Christian knowledge—or maybe because of it—the Bible studies were some of the most interesting I’ve ever led. After reading the passage in which Jesus calms the storm, I asked about the storms in their lives. There was a puzzled look among my Laotian friends, so I explained that we all have storms—problems, worries, troubles, crises—and this story teaches that Jesus can give us peace in the midst of those storms. “So what are your storms?” I asked.

Again, more puzzled silence. Finally, one of the men asked, “Do you mean that Jesus actually calmed the wind and sea in the middle of a storm?”

I didn’t want to get distracted with the problem of miracles, so I replied, “We should not get hung up on the details of the miracle. We should remember that Jesus can calm the storms in our lives.”

Another stretch of awkward silence ensued until someone said, “Well, if Jesus calmed the wind and the waves, he must be a powerful man!” At this, they all nodded vigorously and chattered excitedly to one another in Lao. Except for me, the room was full of wonder. I suddenly realized that they grasped the story better than I did.

—Mark Galli, Jesus Mean and Wild (Baker, 2006)