Nasty Sea Storms and Ships

By Mary Vee
Matthew 8

From Matthew's Journal 

On the Sea of Galilee where Peter, Andrew, and others fished.
Photo by Mary Vee

My name is Matthew, I am a follower of Jesus. I have recorded some of what I witnessed in this post. 

I and other of Jesus's disciples are on board a boat sailing across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is also on board. To our left and right, there are other boats sailing with us.

Because of the mountains around this sea, storms can rise quickly and with no notice. When they do, the cool waters fuel the winds, causing the storm to build and rifling tall waves that threaten to overtake the boat. 

Birds circle with the winds, screeching as they fly away from the storm.

The sky darkens. A furious squall appears.

Waves break over the boat, soaking our clothes and chilling us to the bone. 

Water pools inside the boat, rising quickly, threatening to sink the ship. We are absolutely terrified.

Jesus has fallen asleep on a cushion in the stern, (the back of the boat). 

I run to him and shake his shoulder until he wakes. When his eyes open I say, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He has to have known the trouble we are in.

Jesus sits up then stands. He looks out at the wind and says "Quiet!" He looks at the waves and says, "Be still!"

Just like that--the wind dies down as if it had never been stirred.

It took a few minutes for my heart and breath to settle down.

Jesus turns to us and says, "Why are you so afraid?"

It was a fair question. We should have been afraid, not with Him on board, but we are.

He says, "Don't you have any faith?"

We look at each other. Ashamed. Puzzled. Mystified. Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him. 




If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section.


Next time I will write about amazing miracles performed by Jesus.

 Come back to read the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.