As I read this passage from Mark 4:35, these are the words of Jesus to his disciples: “Let us cross over to the other side”. It was a very busy week of preaching and teaching evidenced by miracles, healing, as well as casting out demons and raising the dead, writes Rev. Vakaroto Ngaro of Takamoa Theological College.

The disciples may not have expected some unusual encounter except the boat ride to the other side of the Sea of Galilea. Jesus may have deserved a break but alas, a storm broke out on the open Sea of Galilea.

Prior to this episode, Jesus was teaching from the same boat and he was teaching just off the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The impact of the storm was revealed by the reaction of the disciples when they exclaimed, we are perishing. Several of the disciples were experienced fishermen, they know the laws of the sea and yet they feared for their lives.

While the storm was brewing, Jesus was sleeping at the rear of the boat while the disciples panicked, due to the intensity of the storm. The Lord’s sleep was not only the sleep of weariness: it was also the rest of faith, for there is a rest of faith as well as a watch of faith.

The wind didn’t wake Him, the arguing of the disciples didn’t wake Him, and water splashing over the boat didn’t wake Him. But at the cry of His disciples, He instantly awoke. Jesus is like the mother who sleeps through all kinds of racket, but at the slightest noise from her little baby, she instantly awakes. He heard their cries, we are perishing. It was not a request to Him to do anything; but a protest against His apparent indifference.

Without much trouble, Jesus rose and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Peace, be still”.

The same terminology was used when Jesus rebuked and silenced demons. After rebuking the storm, Jesus rebuked his disciple saying, “Why are you so fearful? How is itthat you have no faith?” They feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him” In a split second, the disciples saw both the complete humanity of Jesus and the fullness of His deity. They saw Jesus for who He is: truly man and truly God.

What is this telling us? We are now in our cyclone season throughout the Pacific region and we are also hearing tropical cyclone warnings while some of our Pacific nations are experiencing the intensity of the storms. There is no point in crying out we are perishing but to prepare ourselves for the worse to come.

Jesus is the Master of the tempest and we only have to trust Him. Apart from the cyclone and the conditions of our weather, how about the raging storms over our identity with New Zealand which has triggered a lot of frustration among our people. These things will happen in our times but it is not the end of the story. Just as this popular classic says, “After the storm, comes the sunshine” We are to be prepared for the worst to come and Lord willing, we will be under his divine care.

The storms of life will always be the greatest test of our Christianity and it’s not how you reached the end but how you journeyed through the storm. Blessings to you all.