• 马可福音 4:38-41

38 耶稣在船尾上，枕着枕头睡觉。门徒叫醒他，说：“老师！我们快没命了，你不管吗？” 39 耶稣醒了，斥责那风，向海说：“住了吧！静了吧！”风就止住，大大平静了。 40 耶稣对他们说：“为什么胆怯？你们还没有信心吗？”41 他们就非常惧怕，彼此说：“这到底是谁？连风和海都听从他。”

• 彼得前书 5:6-7

6 所以，你们要谦卑服在上帝大能的手下，这样，到了适当的时候，他必使你们升高。 7 你们要将一切的忧虑卸给上帝，因为他顾念你们。

• 希伯来书 13:5-6

5 不可贪爱钱财，要以自己所有的为满足，因为上帝曾说：“我绝不撇下你，也绝不丢弃你。” 6 所以，我们可以勇敢地说：“主是我的帮助，我必不惧怕。人能把我怎么样呢？”

• 哥林多后书 4:7-9

7 我们有这宝贝放在瓦器里，为要显明这莫大的能力是出于上帝，不是出于我们。 8 我们处处受困，却不被捆住；内心困扰，却没有绝望； 9 遭受迫害，却不被撇弃；击倒在地，却不致灭亡。

我们之前讨论了作为基督的门徒，在危机和紧急状况下要如何反应。我们不活在恐惧中，我们是靠信心活着。我们要奉献，不要自私。我们要让光照耀，而非将其隐藏。

耶稣在世上时还有一个故事，有助于我们应对风暴。

有一天，耶稣和门徒乘坐的船遭遇了一场相当猛烈的风暴。那时耶稣正在船尾小睡。门徒都吓坏了，以为自己快淹死了。之后的故事是这样的：

“耶稣在船尾上，枕着枕头睡觉。门徒叫醒了他，说：‘夫子！我们丧命，你不顾吗？’耶稣醒了，斥责风，向海说：‘住了吧！静了吧！’风就止住，大大地平静了。耶稣对他们说：‘为什么胆怯？你们还没有信心吗？’他们就大大地惧怕，彼此说：‘这到底是谁，连风和海也听从他了。’”（马可福音4:38-41）

处在未知当中的门徒吓坏了，忘了耶稣正和他们同在。我们岂不也时常如此吗？

我们会被吓坏，因为我们害怕最糟的情况会发生。然而我们却忘了，就像风暴中耶稣与门徒同在一样，他现在也是和我们在一起的。

回到故事中去。耶稣止住了风暴，但故事的重点并不是风暴。门徒明白到耶稣比生活中任何的风浪都更有力量，而仅凭这个认知，就能让我们今天有信心抗击恐惧了。

有一点要指出：耶稣不一定会平息你生活中的所有风暴，但他应许必一直与你同在。

所以面对时下的紧急事件、自然灾害、大流行病，或者人生其他遭遇之际，我们都可以敬拜独一的上帝。他对于发生在我们身上的事不会感到惊讶，反而要与我们一同走过。

祷告：上帝啊，我带着对_______的一点焦虑来到你面前。但我知道你就在我身旁，就像风暴时你与门徒同在一样。我的上帝啊，求你在今日的风暴里与我同在。教我如何用信心抗击恐惧。帮助我照亮黑暗。让我战胜任何的不信。感谢你就是上帝，也感谢你应许必一直与我同在。奉耶稣的名，阿们。

• Mark 4:38-41

38 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?” 39 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. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 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?”

• 1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

• Hebrews 13:5-6

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

• 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

We’ve talked about a few ways that we, as followers of Christ, can respond to crisis and emergency situations. We don’t live in fear; we live by faith. We live sacrificially, not selfishly. And we shine the light; we don’t hide it.

But there’s another story from the life of Jesus that is helpful to us in the face of life’s storms.

Once, Jesus and His disciples were in a boat in the middle of a pretty epic thunderstorm. Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat. And the disciples were freaking out, convinced they were about to drown. Here’s how it went down:

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” Mark 4:38-41 NLT

The disciples freaked out in the middle of the unknown, forgetting that Jesus was literally right there with them. How often do we do the same thing?

We freak out because we’re terrified the worst-case scenario is going to happen, all the while forgetting that Jesus is just as present with us now as He was with the disciples then.

So, back to the story. Jesus calmed the storm, but it wasn’t really about the storm. The disciples discovered that Jesus was more powerful than anything life threw at them, and that knowledge alone can give us the faith to fight back fear today.

Because here’s the thing: Jesus may not always calm the storm around you, but He promises to always be with you.

So in response to emergencies, natural disasters, pandemics, and anything else life throws our way, we can worship the One who isn’t surprised by what happens to us but walks with us through it.

Pray: God, I come to You a little anxious about _____. But I know that You are right here with me, just like You were with the disciples in the middle of their storm. I ask You to meet me here in my storm today, God. Show me how to fight back fear with faith. Help me shine a light in the face of darkness, and help me overcome any unbelief. Thank You for who You are and for promising to always be with me. In Jesus’ name, amen.