One of the Worst Questions Ever!

³⁵ On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”³⁶ 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. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ 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?”

³⁹ 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. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”^[d] 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Storms happen; they just do. If anyone told you before you met Jesus that once you became a Christian it would be smooth sailing from then on, they misled you. Not only did the twelve disciples go through storms, but Jesus led them into them.

You probably sympathize with the disciples. Matter of fact, their words may read like a page right out of your journal. “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Okay we know storms happen and that they rage, but why is Jesus asleep at the front of the boat when we’re freaking out and getting sea sick?

When you think about it “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” may be the worst question we can ask Jesus.  Something we have that the twelve didn’t at this point in scripture is knowledge of the cross. Our whole relationship with Jesus is based upon knowing He cared so much that we were perishing that He endured the suffering of the cross. For us to ask Jesus “Do you care?” is terrible.

At this point you may reason, “I know He has saved my soul from death and Hell but does He care that my finances are dwindling, my health is deteriorating, or my marriage is failing?” The answer is yes. “³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”  (Romans 8:32) God cared so much that He gave His Son to the cross for us, why wouldn’t He care about what we’re going through?

Maybe one of the reasons He allows us to go through storms time and time again is to deepen our knowledge of how much He does care. As many storms as I have flailed my way through, I realize in hindsight that the one constant in the storm was the Lord’s care for me. I lived to write about it.

Yes the Lord does care. Next time you go through the storm, and you will, take the question of whether He cares off of the table. Matter of fact do what the Bible says--cast all your care on Him because He does care. (1 Peter 5:7) For the disciples it wasn’t long before Jesus rebuked the storm and “there was a great calm.” The storm is raging now. Trust Jesus--a great calm is coming!