What do you do when your spouse has left you? How can you face another morning when you are feeling like a complete loser at work? How can you handle the daily stresses that keep on piling up? Do you know of a way out of these trials that you are inundated with?

Jesus’ disciples faced a similar situation. They were sailing across a peaceful lake. All seemed to be well and all of a sudden: disaster! “Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.” (Matt 8:24 NIV)

If we take the time to examine the Scriptures in the original Greek language, we notice that the word used for storm is “seismos”. We have a word that is quite similar in English that is used either as an adjective or an adverb, and means: “subject to or caused by an earthquake or earth vibration”. In Greek as well, the word means a shaking, an earthquake, and is sometimes translated as a great storm.

What is even more interesting is that in Greek the word “seismos” is followed by the qualifier “megas” which means big or huge. The disciples could have well been facing a tremendous shaking causing huge waves of tidal wave proportion! Remember that several of these disciples were experienced fishermen. They were used to storms, but not like this one!

Facing this impossible impasse, how did Jesus react? “But Jesus was sleeping.” (Matt 8:24b NIV)

Jesus had nothing to fear! He knew His Heavenly Father, and He knew that He was in the best hands possible!

Notice however, the disciples’ reaction: “The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!'” (Matt 8:25 NIV). When they woke Him up, these experienced fishermen knew that unless they were the recipients of divine help, they were sure to drown. They had no doubts about their fate! Can you blame them? Humanly speaking, there is absolutely no way out of a tsunami!

But Jesus saw things from a different perspective. In fact He was amazed at the fear demonstrated by His disciples, and He asked them: “Why are you so afraid?” (Matt 8:26 NIV) And then He rebuked the winds and the lake calmed down. The Greek word for calm is “galinni” and is followed by the same qualifier as the one for “seismos”. Where there had been “megas seismos”, there was now “mega galinni”!

Friends, there is no reason to be afraid when Jesus is with us. There may be huge earthquakes and tsunamis in your life, but when you trust in Jesus, the result will be a huge peace that overcomes you like nothing you’ve ever felt before. Jesus is the answer to your trials. He will stand by you, for He has promised: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 NIV). Jesus also promised: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NIV). No matter what size your terrifying, earth-shattering tsunami is, if you trust in Jesus, He will lead you to huge peace. You have absolutely NOTHING to fear, for: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31 NIV)

A tsunami? Nah. It may look like one, but in God’s eyes it is nothing but a little wave.

Rob Chaffart