There is a bit of irony in Jesus’ calming the wind and the waves. As he was sleeping, the disciples came to him, awakened him and out of fear called to him to save them for they were perishing. Jesus got up and first rebuked their little faith, then he calmed the wind and the sea. What is ironic about this account is that the disciples were amazed at Jesus’ power and authority. Sometimes we underestimate the power of Jesus and are surprised when he does what we had never imagined. The disciples probably expected Jesus to join them in their efforts to escape the storm, because it never occurred to them that Jesus would actually calm the storm. When he did calm the storm, they were utterly shocked.
Shortly after we moved to San Diego, my wife, Donelle, and I were visiting neighborhoods and exploring the area. I remember walking around a particular neighborhood standing by a community pool and looking at the homes across the street. At one point, Donelle mentioned that this would be a lovely neighborhood in which to live. I agreed that it was lovely, but I thought to myself that it was more than we could ever afford and didn’t give it another thought. Several months later, we received a large and unexpected inheritance, which enabled us to purchase a home in that very same neighborhood and swim in that pool. Now, when we go to that pool, I am reminded of my “little faith” in what Jesus could do.
David Freitag 