His Deep Love

Read Mark 4:30-41
³⁰ And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? ³¹ It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, ³² yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." ³³ With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. ³⁵ On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." ³⁶ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" ³⁹ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" ⁴¹ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Don’t you care? I have asked God that question on more than one occasion. I have yet to find myself in a boat knocked side to side by a raging storm, but there is plenty else in life that has cut me to the core with overwhelming fear. In those moments the question doesn’t seem so ridiculous.

For that reason I am thankful that in his gracious pursuit, God gathers me to his Word so that, as I read it or hear it preached, he can continually answer me. Greater love has no one then this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:10). He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us, how will he not also graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32). Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword? (Romans 8:35).

Do you think there might be a reason why so many verses in scripture give assurance of God’s love in the face of surrounding circumstances? The miraculous calming of the sea is not intended as a metaphor for life, but it isn’t too difficult to see ourselves in the disciples’ response of fear instead of faith. Jesus will soon show the disciples the depth of his love as he journeys to the cross. He does the same for us.