Devotion on Mark 4:35-41 | Proper 7–Year B

The Gospel for today is St. Mark’s account of Jesus calming the storm. This miracle demonstrates Jesus’ divinity and power over all creation, and it points to His greatest act of rescue for mankind: bearing our sins on the cross and rising again to defeat sin, death, and Satan. Our devotional reading is from Growing in Christ: Middle School Teacher Guide (NT2).

Scripture Readings

Job 38:1–11
Psalm 124
2 Corinthians 6:1–13
Mark 4:35–41

Read the propers for today in Lutheran Service Builder. 

Devotional Reading

The disciples cry out, “ Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). It appeared He didn’t. There He is, napping on a pillow, while the disciples fear they are drowning! Their fear had nearly crowded out their faith, though they still knew the One to whom they should appeal. Accusing as their words may be, at least they are addressed to the only One who could calm their troubled hearts.

Jesus answers their prayers with His words. Then, having demonstrated that He does care for them, He reveals that love in another way as well, by calling them to repentance and faith. “Why are you so afraid?” He asks. “Have you still no faith?” (v. 40).

This miraculous historical account is also a parable of sorts, a parable about the life of faith. Time and again, the Scriptures show us that Christ lets us become overwhelmed by sorrows or troubles or fears before He finally comes to our aid. So He did with the Israelites at the Red Sea, when they supposed they were about to be slaughtered by the Egyptian army (Exodus 14). So He did with the men who sailed with Jonah—who himself slept during the storm (Jonah 1).

Why does He do this? To teach us to live by faith, to trust that even in the blackest of nights, He who is Light of light is still with us. He loves us in stillness and storm, night and day, health and sickness. His crucifixion, His own suffering for us, is ample testimony that God will never leave us, never forsake us.

Devotional reading is from Growing in Christ: Middle School Teacher Guide (NT2), page 61 © 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.