From the Edges – Peace Be Still – A morning devotional.

From the Edges – Morning Devotional

Pastor Calvin Cook

Lent – Day 30 – PEACE BE STILL

Peace Be Still: Finding Calm in the Storm

Scripture Focus: “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 (NIV)

This past week in our teaching time in worship we have experienced reflection to the scenario mentioned in the scripture. The Matthew and Mark text have different twist to the story, but I don’t think we can lose focus on the words “Peace or Quiet! Be Still”. We revisited these words last evening in our Bible Study time at the East Kane Church.

May we be reminded, in all of life’s storms we encounter or go through, Jesus stands as the center of peace and quietness. The narrative of Jesus calming the stormy seas is not merely a historical event recorded in the gospels; it is a great reminder of His authority over chaos and His ability to bring peace to the most turbulent situations. When this is not realized, it is because we haven’t noticed Jesus’s presence, His doing in the midst of the storm we find ourselves in.

Imagine being in a boat with the disciples, tossed by fierce winds and waves crashing over the sides, threatening to engulf them and possibly send them to their doom. Fear takes over their hearts as they struggle to navigate through their present condition. In desperation, they turn to Jesus, who is seemingly undisturbed by the chaos surrounding them. With a word, He speaks peace into the raging storm: “Quiet! Be still!”

“Peace, be still.” These words have been echoing through my head during the last few days when we seem to go from situational crisis to the other. These words should remind us that no matter how turbulent our circumstances may be, Jesus is present in the midst of our storms, offering His peace to calm our troubled hearts.

The storms of life come in various forms – financial difficulties, health crises, relationship struggles, being overwhelmed by too much of the day, or simply the chaos of a busy and demanding world. When what I believe should overwhelm us is the lack of time we give to or spend with Jesus, replacing it with the things that will not mean a hoot to our eternity. Yet, in the face of every storm, Jesus remains constant. His peace transcends our understanding, His grace brings comfort when we are at the “I don’t know where to turn next” situations in our life surpassing every situation in our circumstances.

When we feel overwhelmed by the storms raging around us, may we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Let us remember that His peace is not dependent on external and human conditions and situations.

Just as Jesus rebuked the wind and waves, He can also speak peace into the storms of our lives. As we surrender our fears and anxieties to Him, He calms the raging seas within us and fills us with His perfect peace.

Today, let us heed the invitation of Jesus to “Peace, be still.” Let us trust in His power to quiet the storms that threaten to overwhelm us and rest in the assurance that He is with us always, guiding us through the darkest of nights into the light of His eternal peace.