Revd Sara’s Reflection ‘Calming the Storm’
Reading: Mark 4:35-41
How do you feel about this story of Jesus calming the storm?
What do you think actually happened on that day? A miracle? Divine intervention?
A slightly eerie coincidence as Jesus calls out and the storm starts to calm down?
A chain of events which unfolded more slowly than the story would have us believe?
Disciples who were so wracked with fear and overwhelm that this is how they remember the day?
What about some of the other miracle stories we find in the Gospels – how do they make you feel? Do they bring insight or confusion? Do you find truth in the miracle itself, or in the various ways the people in the story react and process it? The Bible is by no means a straightforward read. It is the kind of text that impacts us differently every time we read it. We notice different things, ask different questions and find that the words resonate with us in different ways, based on where we are in life at that time. Miracle stories can be tough for us to understand. It is easy to be cynical, to wonder if the events really played out in the way the story suggests. I’m not sure how many of us can relate in any meaningful way to this kind of story, short of a situation involving a coincidence.
God may help some of us find parking spaces, or make it stop raining just as we are about to leave the house, however many of us are still wondering when God will offer us the same gift. What do we do with passages of the Bible that raise uncomfortable questions? It does not feel right just to ignore or disregard them. I think that the greatest insight comes from the wrestling, the wondering and the criticism.
Amidst our questions and frustrations, green shoots of insight and hope can still come. Whatever happened on that day, on the boat in the middle of the storm, the disciples saw something that had an impact on them. After this day, they believed a little more deeply that this man was capable of great and life-changing things. Perhaps we can be more present, and look for the things in our lives that bring us closer to God’s truth and hope…
Prayer Hymn 545 STF – Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Prayer Blessing Go with courage, followers of the Christ. Go into a world crying out for love and hope. Go to spread peace. Go, and the Spirit of God goes before you.
love and prayers Revd Sara

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