“But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'”
Mark 4:38-41 ESV
“Jesus, don’t You care?” Two-thousand years ago was not the last time that question has been asked. That’s because any time we’re caught in a natural disaster or accident or illness the temptation is there to ask, “Jesus, don’t You care?” When people wonder where God has gone, when they ask, “If God is a God of love, why doesn’t He stop this?” we are rephrasing the disciples’ question: “Jesus, don’t You care?”
The truth of it is no one cares more than Jesus. Listen to Him as He, looking through an intense pain, provided for His mother; offered forgiveness to those responsible for His crucifixion, and invited a dying sinner into heaven (see John 19:25-27; Luke 23:34, 43). Most certainly Jesus cared. It was His caring which—after He had fulfilled the Law we have broken, after He had resisted all of Satan’s temptations—allowed Him to confidently proclaim, “It is finished!”
Yes, Jesus cares. The disciples had hardly finished waking Jesus up before He was on His feet, calming the raging waters around them. But other storms would come their way, and their faith during those storms was not an improvement on what they did on the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus asked them to pray with Him, they fell asleep. When He was arrested, they ran away. When He was crucified, they slipped into hiding. When He rose from the dead, they were slow to get it.
The time eventually came when they, touched by the Holy Spirit’s power, were given understanding and faith. By God’s mighty grace, they were transformed, and these meek little lambs became the Lord’s lions, proclaiming the conquering Christ to a sin-sickened world, which so desperately needed to hear that message.
And this is a message you and I need to hear, too. In life’s storms, during those times when we’re afraid, when we question whether we can make it through the next day, the next hour, we need to hear Jesus. He will—just as He did for the disciples those many years ago—rise up and still the storm. Sometimes He will make that storm disappear; other times He will give us the power to get through that storm. But either way, with Jesus we will survive. We will survive until the day comes when He safely takes us to our home port in heaven. On that day, if we look back, we will see and thank Him for the many storms He has stilled in our lives.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to calm the storms in our lives. Teach us to trust in Him. In His Name we pray. Amen.
From “Jesus, Don’t You Care?” a sermon from Rev. Dr. Kenneth Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on February 19, 2022
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
Reflection Questions:
1. It’s easy to forget how much God cares for us. How do you stay focused on His love for you?
2. Do you think you would have ever doubted Jesus and His Word after seeing Him calm the storm? Why do you think the disciples still struggled in their faith later on?
3. Is there a Bible character who remained faithful in trouble or adversity that inspires you?