Middle of a Miracle
I'm in the middle of a miracle. Please allow me to explain.
We know that at least 4 of the 12 apostles were fishermen, probably there were 7 though, meaning over half of Jesus’ 12 apostles spent the majority of their lives on the open waters of the Sea of Galilee. That makes it surprising then that these men were terrified of the storm that came as recorded in Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; and Luke 8:22-25. These men were used to the sea. They knew the weather patterns and I’m certain that this wasn’t their first storm. But this storm was something else; it is described by the gospel writers as sudden and furious. Waves were sweeping over the boat so that they were nearly swamped. They were in great danger and they were scared. The very men who had to be accustomed to the danger that accompanies fishing from an open boat in the open seas were terrified. Without warning, they found themselves in the middle of a storm and they knew that this storm was going to kill them.
And where was Jesus while they were in the middle of a storm? He was in the stern, curled up on a cushion, sleeping while the wind raged and water filled the boat. Jesus had to have felt the water and the wind. How could he be so calm? How could he be sleeping? Their very real circumstances said “This is very bad and you’re going to die.” The truth and reality of their situation was dire. But Jesus knew there was an even greater truth at work that the apostles couldn’t conceive of.
I believe Jesus was able to sleep because he didn’t see their circumstances as being in the middle of a storm; rather he knew that they were in the middle of a miracle. The apostles woke Jesus up crying out to him “Don’t you even care that we’re going to drown? Is there nothing you can do to save us?” They may have even said as many would today, “For God’s sake, DO SOMETHING!” Can you imagine Jesus with a little smile saying “Speaking of God, for YOUR sake, I WILL do something.” He told the wind and the waves to knock it off and it became completely calm. It was a miracle.
What had seemed so obvious and clear to the disciples, this storm raging around them, paled in light of their new set of circumstances. They were in the company of Jesus who had authority even over the wind and the waves. Nobody and no thing has the right or the authority to steal life from where God has granted it. Jesus made that clear.
This fall I found myself, without warning, in the middle of a raging and dangerous storm when I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. The reality of my situation is that after two surgeries and chemo (radiation still to come) no medical professional can or will ever be able to assure me that cancer is gone from my body. Believe me, I’ve been crying out to God, “Do something!” and I believe that he is speaking to any cancer that may remain in my body and he’s telling it to “Knock it off!” When Jesus says “Knock it off!” whatever he is speaking to will do just that because nothing has the authority to steal life from where or to whom God has granted it. Cancer has neither the right nor the authority to steal the life that God has granted me through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the one who saves, redeems and heals.
Thank you for your continued prayers for the eradication of cancer from my body. March 14 is my last chemo treatment. I would appreciate your prayers over the next few weeks that God will continue to maximize the therapeutic benefits of chemo while minimizing the toxic effects to my body. That’s been my prayer all along and he has heard, because he is that kind of God, and he has answered, because he is that kind of God. Other than some mild symptoms I have felt great throughout the chemo cycles.
If you’re in the middle of a storm, cry out to Jesus, get in his company, and trust that your storm is really the middle of a miracle. Thank you Rhonda Reich for helping me reframe my present circumstances. I’m not in the middle of a storm after all. I’m in the middle of a miracle.
By Kristin Hocker