He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)
My husband and I were on our first vacation together in years—just us, no kids. I had recently transitioned from working fulltime in higher education back to my freelance writing roots, a change that allowed me to stay home with our boys. However, the change had not been easy. Many aspects of motherhood weren’t natural for me, and being constantly needed left me physically and emotionally emptied.
Our getaway was needed. As we sat on the beach watching the waves lap against the sand, a calm came over me. I closed my eyes. Words seemed unnecessary. Urgency dissipated. For the first time in months, I was still.
Imagine the peace that was present in the moment Jesus halted the storm. To go from torrential rain and wind that cut like glass to the gentle sway of the boat and nothing but the sound of gulls overhead. Some Bible translations describe it as a “great calm.” But instead of taking a deep breath and enjoying the stillness, the disciples were yet again filled with fear. They missed the calm.
What if Jesus’ command to “Quiet! Be still!” wasn’t for the wind and the waves alone? What if by fighting and flailing against the storm, we miss the calm? Because perhaps quiet comes from floating—allowing the calm of God’s presence to carry us even if the storm rages on.
Welcome the great calm that comes in God’s presence.
Sarah E. Westfall is an author, speaker, and graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. She resides in Indiana with her husband, Ben, and their four boys. She really wants a nap.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
