Wake up Jesus with Prayer in Fath

Jesus Calms a Storm
Matthew 8:23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (ESV. Emphasis mine)

We meet difficulties as well as difficult times in life. Difficulties are like winds and difficult times are like storms on the sea. Sometimes we may think the difficulties can swamp the boat of our life. So we may be intimidated as we go through a difficult time. This scripture gives us a great lesson regarding that.

First, this scripture tells us that, as long as we have Jesus in our boat of life, we will be saved and reach the other side of the sea where we are supposed to go. To believe this, we must know that “even winds and sea obey [Jesus].” “All things were created … for Him” (Colossians 1:16). This means all things were created to serve His great purpose to save all people. Not only a difficult environment or time but also difficulties were created for His purpose. And His purpose is to save us and to do good, but not to destroy and to harm.

Second, we must pray to Jesus in faith, not in fear. The scripture indicates that Jesus rebuked the disciples. Like I did, many people think Jesus rebuked the disciples because they woke Him up and asked to save them. I remember the first sermon I heard, which helped me say to that effect. The preacher said the disciples failed to believe and woke Jesus from sleeping. That is not true. It is evident in the scripture that Jesus rebuked the disciples because they were in fear and not in faith. Jesus never said, “Why do you wake Me? Just struggle in the storm. This boat will arrive on the other side through the storm.”

We must boldly wake up Jesus with our prayer. He wants it from us. This is the reason why the scripture commands God’s people to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). However, as we pray, we have to be in faith, not fear. That is what God is not pleased with. If one doubts, he “must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7). The scripture indicates fear and lack of faith go together (v. 26). Jesus controls even winds and the sea. When one does not believe this fact, fear of winds and storms intimidates him, that is, fear of difficulties and difficult times.

Therefore, first, we should remind ourselves that Jesus is in control over all things in our lives, and second, pray to Him in faith but not in fear.