Who can this be, that even the wind and see obey Him! (Mark 4:41).
In Mark’s gospel, we have the account of Jesus rebuking the wind and the sea. As we look at this story, we see just how different Jesus was from His disciples.
Let us look at the scripture Mark 4:36-41, which says, “now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have not faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”
Several of these disciples were experienced fishermen. They had earned their living on this often tempestuous and unpredictable sea. This night, however, was different than all of their other experiences. They were afraid! When things get out of hand for the experts, they are outside everyone else’s ability but never beyond the Lord’s control. When men are afraid, they often accuse those whom they feel are in some way responsible for the situation. In life, people are often afraid. What will your response be to their fear? Will you exhibit more fear, anger, or disgust? Or will you do as Jesus did? Will you in faith bring the solution even under accusation? Jesus, in this story, did not defend Himself from their accusation but handled the crisis. He said to the wind and the sea, “peace, be still.” The wind immediately hushed, and the sea became placid, then Jesus addressed their problem. We too must learn from His example. He often used these moments to teach His disciples principles of His kingdom. He asked them, “why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” The Bible does not tell us what they answered or if they answered at all. Many of our most unforgettable moments are when we were at a loss for words.
They were fearful of the sea, but toward Jesus, they were exceedingly fearful. It is so amazing that our response to Jesus is often one of severe fright. Although most of us would never admit it, we are afraid when He does something that we are unaccustomed to. The disciples asked, “who can this be?” Have you ever had a “who can this be moment?” If you have not, you have not gone far enough. When you have this moment, you can be assured that Jesus will protect you on the stormy seas of life. He is ever faithful. He is the awesome God. There is no one comparable to Him, and He is trustworthy!