Peace! Be Still!

“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.” (Mark 4:39)

Jesus and his disciples were on the way to the country of the Gadarenes. On the way to the other side, Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat. A great windstorm arose, waves were breaking into the boat and it started filling with water. The disciples awoke Jesus from his sleep and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus awoke from his sleep, rebuked the wind, and commanded the sea to be still” (Mark 4: 35-39). The disciples were filled with great fear when they saw what Jesus did. “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him” (Mark 4:41)?

This was not the first time in scripture where we saw a man of God commanding the elements to be still and they obeyed. Joshua was at war with five kingdoms who had gathered to fight with Gibeon. “At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.” (Joshua 10:12-13)

We have authority over the elements and atmosphere where we live and work. We can command peace to any situation that is troubling our peace. If Joshua could command the sun and moon, we have power over our social and political climates. We speak peace to our minds, to every difficulty at work, in our finances and our families. We command healing where there is infirmity and we claim the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.

Jesus spoke to the wind and the sea and at his command there was great calm. There are some situations that we need to speak to and command to be still. We command peace to every situation that is causing us distress and fear. As Jesus commanded peace to calm the sea, we have the same authority to speak peace over every storm that comes to threaten us. Peace! Be still!

A.P.-Y.

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