And There Was Great Calm

Rembrandt [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

By Melanie Rigney

The lion roars—who will not be afraid! The Lord GOD speaks—who will not prophesy! (Amos 3:8)

Lead me in your justice, Lord. (Psalm 5:9a)

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. (Matthew 8:23-26)

Piety

Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Study

Point to it. You know you can.

Point to that time of incredible grief or sorrow or pain or suffering in your life. Perhaps it was the diagnosis of an incurable disease, for yourself or someone you love. Perhaps it was a senseless death, the result of a mechanical failure or a careless but not malicious act. Or perhaps it was malicious. Or perhaps it was the unexpected end of a marriage, a friendship, a job or ministry that brought you great joy, that you did well.

You felt swamped by the waves, terrified by the storm. It seemed it never, ever would end.

And then… it did.

Oh, not right away. Maybe not even in a day or a week or a month or a year. But it ended. It became the new normal. You went on with living, with treatments, with more days of fond memories than of anger, with new ways to serve. In some ways, maybe the time after the storm was richer for the struggle. There was a great calm.

We know that the Lord hears our cries when we believe we are perishing. We can point to those times. We know He has a future with hope for us; He’s told us that. May we remember those times He brought us great calm when storm clouds gather again.

Action

Spend some prayer time today in praise for what the Lord has done for you in times of despair.