Job 38:1,8-11/ Psalm 107/ 2Cor.5:14-17/Mark 4:35-41
Theme: The Storm is Over
In the year 2000 Robert Sylvester Kelly released into the market the blockbuster buster R&B, a song entitled “The Storm is over” that touched many people. Beyond the beautiful rhythm, the song’s lyrics present a situation of turbulence and hopelessness which suddenly gave way to liberation through the intervention of a formidable power. R. Kelly did not mention God in the song, but there is no doubt that only God can activate and actualize such an awe-striking intervention.
Going through the gospel reading of today, we can say for sure that Jesus and his disciples were in a more precarious situation than R. Kelly. In the case of R. Kelly, he could climb the hills, but Jesus and his disciples were overwhelmed by the storm at the middle of the Sea of Galilee with no hope of any humanly possible movement that could bring about a change. They were practically trapped within the tempest!
It is interesting to note that by asking them to cross to the other side, Jesus was going to encounter and heal the Gerasene Demoniac. The storm at this point has a lot to tell us. When you are out to accomplish some good and helpful tasks, you will often experience stormy oppositions on the way. It happened to our Lord and you may not be an exception.
In any challenge in our lives we need to be calm and repose our confidence in God. We need to realize that God is with us. This was what the disciples failed to realize immediately that if they have Jesus, no storm can claim their lives. In their fear and desperation (not in faith) they called on the Lord to come to their rescue; in fact their question is most undeserving: “do you not care that we are perishing?” A question that has been answered in Psalm 27: 10; Isaiah 49: 15-16; Isaiah 54:4; Rom 8:28,31; 1 Pet 5:7.
Storms still rage in our lives today. There are many who are facing storms in their relationships, in their marriages, in their workplaces, in their businesses, in their studies, in their plans and aspirations. It is important to note that storms are existential facts of life. God did not promise us that we will not face stormy situations but he assured us that in them all He will be with us. This simply tells us that the storm we experience today will come to pass. Like R. Kelly suggested, the STORM WILL BE OVER. It is said that after the storm comes sunshine. We are required to do one thing. To have faith in God because he cares about us no matter the situation. In fact our lack of faith is a way of belittling God’s power to save us. The letter to the Hebrew (11:6) tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith.
You may be going through a storm at this time in your life. It may be financial, it may be health, it may be employment, it may be academic, it may be political, it may be social, and it can also be spiritual. You have to be sure of this; every storm must come to pass. With your faith in God’s unfailing words, those storms will pass away and like God assured his people in Exodus 14:13, you will not see them again. God is even nearer when the storm is high.
We are encouraged by the word of God today to go over to the other side. You have always been on this side of fear and hopelessness; you have always been on this side of doubts. Now there is an invitation for us to sail over to the other side of divine encounter, the other side of faith, the other side of perseverance.
Evidently, it is on the other side that we can record an effectual divine encounter. It is on the other side that we can experience divine liberation. Like R. Kelly, there is a need for us to climb the hill. The hill here stands for faith. It is only by climbing upon this hill that we can see the heavens and experience the sunshine. On the other side the storms will be over. Let us meet then at the other side.