What Does the Lord Require?

When walking through tough times, it's easy to get too focused on the problem.

It starts out as ground fog in front of us.  Then we watch it, talk about it, talk to it until it grows into a giant storm cloud.  Soon, we are standing in the middle of the maelstorm and our very breath is being sucked from our existence.

Admittedly, there are times, when we just wake up in the middle of a storm not of our own making but we are forced to live there.

That happened to Jesus.

Jesus had been teaching and walking and helping people all day.  He was tired.  He got in the boat and went to sleep.

We read in Matthew 8:24, "Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping."

Storm raging.  Master sleeping.  He wakes up - what is going on!!??!!!

His disciples were scared!  They woke him up!  They pleaded, "save us!"

Jesus woke up, looked around and spoke to the storm, "Be still."

Verse 26 says, "there was a great calm."

Not a slight subsiding of waves.  Or a decreased in thunder.  But a GREAT CALM!

The disciples were focused on the storm.  The waves.  The POTENTIAL for calamity.

Jesus spoke to the storm.

He spoke to their fear.

"Be still."

In the midst of hospitals and diagnosis and death and pain and suffering;  worries of medical bills, medications and monthly payments;  when family members are clammering and the din of discension overwhelms you with a crashing cacophony of sound, speak to your storm, "Be Still."

Be Still.

To the storm - but mostly to you.

Be Still - rest in God's word - hide yourself in His promises!

Be Still - he's got this!