by Dan Wolgemuth
And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.” (Mark 4:37–38a, ESV)
A nap. Jesus, in the back of the boat. Storm raging. Disciples desperate. Uninterrupted rest.
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. (Matthew 26:39–40, ESV)
A nap. The disciples. Captives to their own fatigue.
Two naps. Jesus as a participant in both stories, but a radically different posture in each.
Rest in the storm. Fierce in the battle.
Calm in the chaos. Unrelenting in the fight against evil.
Asleep in one. On His knees in the other.
A textbook. A guide. A plan… for His disciples. For us.
A storm. COVID-19. His guidance… rest well. Peace be still. Calm your soul. He’s got this. Only He has this. And because He has this storm, we find comfort.
A culture in chaos. Fear unleashed. Into this environment we bring an unrelenting message of hope, of grace, of redemption, of transformation, of generosity, of courage, of support for those on the front lines of the battle, of compassion. An amplified voice into souls once deaf to the message of Jesus. A battle that starts and ends on our knees. Crying out. Crying into.
But a battle without fear. A battle that doesn’t allow the virus to chart our future.
Rest in the storm. Fierce in the battle.
Rest because of the cross. Fierce because of an empty tomb.
Sins forgiven. A message unleashed.
Justified. Commissioned.
A tale of two naps.
Only Jesus. Always Jesus.
