Jesus, Our Salvation in the Storm

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. 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?”

-Mark 4:37-40

When I first mentioned to my friends and family that we were moving to the Gulf Coast, many times the response was, “they get hurricanes there!” Ok, I’m pretty sure I knew that having visited the coast many times in the last few years and seeing remnants of past storms and seeing numerous hurricanes effects reported in the news media. So, what happens? One week after moving here, the first (and hopefully last) hurricane of the 2026 season forms in the gulf. Welcome Isaias!

As I write this, the Isaias is projected to come ashore near the Alabama/Mississippi border. We will still see some of the effects of it, but it is not as bad as initially forecasted for my area. Still, we prepare. We have supplies if we lose power, batteries for lanterns and flashlights, chargers for cell phones, and loose items stored in the garage. We are ready.

Jesus and His disciples experienced storms. One instance after teaching a large crowd, they all got into a boat and set sail. While crossing the sea, a great storm engulfed them. Jesus was exhausted and sleeping in the stern. The storm was so intense that the boat began to sink. The disciples panicked! They woke Jesus and begged him to save them. Jesus spoke three words, “Peace! Be still!” That’s all it took. The storm subsided, the wind stopped blowing and everything calmed. Jesus quieted the disciples asking them why they were so afraid. Jesus is like that. He took on our sin and defeated death and the grave. He is our calm in life’s storms

I find it interesting that my first in-person experience with a hurricane in named “Isaias”. It is Spanish for “Isaiah”. In Hebrew, “Yeshayahu”; meaning, “Yahweh is salvation" or "God is my salvation." Jesus is our salvation in the storm and at always!

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!  -Psalm 34:3

Stop by for a Cup of Coffee!