URC Daily Devotion 23rd January 2021

Saturday 23rd January

St Mark 4: 35 – 41

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’  He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.  He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’  And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

Reflection

The disciples and Jesus are in the middle of a storm, wind howling, the rain pouring down and the waves crashing against the side of the boat. The disciples must have been petrified. However here we have Jesus, being woken up from a sleep by the disciples, at a time of need for them.

Many of us will be experiencing different storms in our lives whether they be around our work situations, exam stress or family conflicts. We have all experienced one of the biggest storms we will probably ever experience with Covid-19. It, at times, must be so hard to know where God is when the going gets tough. This reading is so comforting to me, and I am sure it is to you, to know that God is always going to be there for us. 

We then hear how after this storm, there was then a dead calm. Even Jesus, the king of kings, the Lord of Lords needed to take time out of his hectic schedule to be alone and away from the crowds. At these times he could listen to his Father in heaven and pray to be able to refuel himself.

Just like Jesus, over the course of the next 24 hours take time out of your busy day to find somewhere quiet to spend time with God and hear what he wants to tell you.

Prayer

Lord, throughout today give us the time and the space to be able to take time out, give us the knowledge and the wisdom to know what to say to you during these times, although we may be in a storm, comfort us and guide us.
Amen