Quiet! Be Still! – June 28, 2024

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:35-41

Quiet! Be Still!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A six-year-old girl stood on her back porch, yelling. Can you guess what she was yelling at? The rain! It was the day of her birthday party. She had big plans for playing outside with her friends. But rain poured down from dark clouds overhead. “Stop it!” she yelled. “Go away!” Do you think the rain listened? No way! If you’ve ever tried it, you know that storms don’t listen to people.

Except to Jesus. Storms listen to Jesus. In this week’s devotions, we’ve heard a lot about storms. Jesus faced storms, too! One day, Jesus was sailing across the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. While Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat, a huge storm came. The waves were so big that it almost sank. The disciples were terrified! They woke Jesus up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38).

But what could Jesus do? Storms don’t listen to people; right? Wrong! Storms listen to Jesus. All Jesus had to do was say three words, “Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39). Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm. With just three words, Jesus calmed that terrible storm.

His disciples were amazed. They had never seen anything like this before! They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41). You know the answer to their question, don’t you? Who is Jesus? He is God! Since he is God, Jesus can do anything and everything. Even storms have to listen to him! All it took was three words, “Quiet! Be still!”

Those words apply to you, too: “Quiet! Be still!” Since you know that Jesus can calm any storm, you don’t have to be afraid. Since you know that Jesus has taken away your sins, you don’t have to feel guilty. Since you know that Jesus is always with you no matter what, you don’t have to ever be worried. He tells our hearts the same thing he told that storm: “Quiet! Be still!”

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, you have power over everything, even storms! Forgive us for all the times we’ve been just as afraid as your disciples were on the Sea of Galilee. When we see your power and love for us, help our hearts be quiet and still. Lead us to always trust in you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Have you ever been in a bad storm? How did you feel?
• Since Jesus is with us, why don’t we ever have to be afraid?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• What would be some “storms” that we face in our lives today?
• Finish this sentence: “If Jesus has power over storms, he also has power over ________________.”

Questions for Middle School and Above

• The next time Jesus’ disciples were caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, do you think they were afraid again? Explain your answer, then read Mark 6:45-52.
• What if Jesus doesn’t calm the “storms” we face in our lives? Should we still trust in him? Why or why not