Sunday, May 6, 2012

When He is Sleeping

Picture, if you will, a boat. You are on this boat, in the middle of the sea, and a storm picks up.


A big storm.


The winds are going around you, making it very difficult to hear the other twelve on the boat with you and even more difficult to see with all of that rain and sea water blowing and splashing in your face. The boat is reeling to and fro and the water is starting to fill your little vessel.


And wouldn't you know it? Your master is sound asleep there in the back!


First off, you can't fathom how it's even possible to be asleep in these conditions. I mean, his pillow that he's laying on would be soaked by now, yet there he is, snoozing away! 


What do you say to that?


And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, cares thou not that we perish? 
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, 
Peace, be still.
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
(Mark 4:37-39)

There will always be storms from time to time in our lives, sometimes more than we think we can possibly bear. We might feel alone, or that our prayers are going unanswered.

We might feel that the Savior is sleeping through our difficulties.

When we feel that way, let us remember this incident. Remember that the Master was indeed asleep during the storm, yet He was never absent. He was peacefully sleeping.

When we feel that way, let it be a message to us that we are safe from the storms. If Jesus is sleeping and we are with Him, what reason have we to fear? Maybe we should take it as a cue to calm down a bit ourselves and trust in His grace.

Be still, my soul. The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
(LDS Hymns, 1985, no. 124)


Pictures from:
http://www.artble.com/imgs/5/1/9/840331/christ_asleep_during_the_tempest.jpg
and 
http://shop.jesusartusa.com/product_images/m/113/peace_be_still_dewey_l__38977_zoom.jpg