© Matthew Tuel — 2025
Psalm 18:7 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
7 The earth heaved and shook;
the roots of the mountains trembled;
they heaved because he was angry.
Mark 4:35-41 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
Stilling of a Storm
35 On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” 36 So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him. 37 Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” 39 So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. 40 And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?” 41 They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!”
Psalm 34:10 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Matthew 7:7-11 (NET, 2nd Ed.)
Ask, Seek, Knock
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
With Calvin, we have a question: Do we see God in the storm? God spoke to nothing and formed the universe down to the last atom. If God can do that, surely he can handle the storms of life. Do we believe in the awesome power of God? If we do, do we act like it?
With Spurgeon, we see a similar question, do we give our cares to God? Do we let him mould us, shape us to fit His holy plan? Do we believe (and act on the belief in) Jeremiah 29:11? Do we trust that His plans are good, even if we don't understand them in the moment?