June 4, 2023
Topic: APPROPRIATE RESPONSE IN CHALLENGING SITUATION
Text: Mark 4:35-41
Memory Verse: Mark 4:39 – “ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm”.
When someone is confronted with a problematic situation, there is usually intense pressure to find a solution to the situation. However, identifying the problem is not as important as knowing how and where to get a lasting solution.
In our text today, Jesus and His disciples got into the boat to get to the other side of the sea. Not long after they sailed, they encountered the waves of the sea which broke over their boat and threw all the disciples into a panic. However, Jesus was fast asleep in the boat. The disciples immediately went to wake Jesus up. What a very striking lesson this teaches! They didn’t resort to self-help, they didn’t handle it alone. They went to wake Jesus. They were very sensitive, in the face of a life-threatening situation, to know who and where the solution was. It is unfortunate today that several believers do not always know what to do when facing a challenging situation. As believers, we are always quick to handle issues with our human ‘sense’. This is not right. We must always call upon our Master, Jesus, each time we are in a challenging situation.
Similarly, it is important to take cognizance of Jesus’ reaction to the situation. The Bible says He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters and there was calm. This is very striking. The disciples were amazed and the simple question Jesus asked them was, “Where is your faith?”. It takes a spiritually sensitive man, who is walking by Faith, to get results and to proffer solutions to every situation. This is very instructive for us. We must learn to walk by Faith as believers because Faith is key to overcoming life’s challenges.