Matt. 8:23-27: Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.

This is not meant to take anything away from the miracle itself.  Jesus calming the storm was an amazing act; something only God could pull off.  And so certainly, part of the point of Jesus doing that was so that the disciples would have yet another glimpse into who they were dealing with.  More and more they were beginning to understand that this Jesus wasn’t just an average carpenter or preacher.  The storm wasn’t the only thing that Jesus calmed that day.  And perhaps as great a miracle is what went on inside of the disciples.  Jesus calmed them. 

The wind and the waves were not the only unrest happening out on the lake.  Inside the boat, there was a lot of anxiety, panic, uncertainty, anger, helplessness.  This, while Jesus was sleeping.  With a word, Jesus took care of the external elements.  The waves died down, the wind stilled.  As for the disciples, they were amazed.  “Who is this?  Even the winds and the waves obey Him.”  In an instant, the disciples’ state was transformed from panic to peace, from anxiety to amazement, from helplessness to hope.  That’s what Jesus does…whether the storms go away immediately or not.

To be sure, the physical calming of the storm was key to the transformation of the disciples, but it was accomplished by Jesus with a word.  That Word of Jesus is available to us all the time.  Sometimes the storms don’t dissipate immediately.  But the Word is still present.  “Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no ill, for thou art with me.”  “I will be with you always until the end of the age.”  Those are Words that calm storms today; the storms inside of us.  As the world continues in its chaos, the Words of our Lord don’t necessarily cause all the external wind and waves to dissipate immediately, but inside of us, the Word has exactly that effect.

Lord Jesus, may we be attentive to your Word, especially in the midst of all the storms.  Amen.

“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”  Romans 8:26-27

If your prayer life is anything like mine, it’s a rollercoaster.  There are times when I seem to get it.  My prayers come more freely, and I actually feel like I know what to ask for, and what to thank Him for.   And there are other times…I don’t even know what to say.  Worse, there are times when I resist praying, almost as if something is blocking me from praying.  Like a stream that has dried up completely.  In those times especially I often just mutter the Kyrie:  Lord, Have Mercy, Christ Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy.

And here’s the thing:  He does have mercy!  And these verses explain it: “Even when we don’t know what to pray for (as we ought), the Spirit Himself intercedes…”  

Do you understand what that means?  When your prayer life appears to have dried up…it hasn’t.  “The Spirit Himself intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

What incredible comfort this is!  But so typical of God.  Never depending on us, He reminds us to depend on Him and trust Him.  

So when your prayer life is struggling, rejoice.  The Spirit is interceding for you.  You are indeed a saint, holy by virtue of Christ’s holiness covering you.  

Merciful Father, in those times when our prayer-life appears to have dried up, remind us that in our weakness Your Spirit is still interceding for us.  We thank and praise You that because of what Jesus has done for us, we are rightly called saints.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

“Peace for our time” became one of the most ironic quotes in history following Hitler’s invasion of Poland and continued aggression less than a year after these words were spoken by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. While Chamberlain, and so many others in Europe, hoped and even prayed for peace, they severely underestimated their enemy.

Now, over eighty years later, peace seems no more possible for our time than it did when Hitler invaded Poland. In short order, most of us could list off more than a handful of potential places where armed conflict could breakout at any moment. Now consider also the last several weeks in our own country. Recent events around the globe and close to home remind us how fallen our world is. You can’t help but wonder if it will get worse before it gets better.

But peace is not just an international or even domestic concern. This lack of peace often becomes very personal in our lives as we experience confrontations with others at work, school, or even in our homes. Look around at your life. Where do you see tension or even hostility? Are all of your relationships “peaceful”?

As people approach the end of life, one of their great desires is to “make peace” with everyone. This is especially true of family members. No one wants to leave behind hard feelings and regrets. This is especially true for Children of God. Because of our peace with God, our hearts have been changed and we now seek peace with others, especially within God’s family.

So why wait until the end of life? Consider again Paul’s encouragement to us today, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

Make today the day that you live out this encouraging word by God’s grace. Pray that He would lay on your heart those who you need to reconcile with and begin rebuilding a relationship. While no one of us may be able to change the world, by God’s grace, we can begin to bring to the immediate world around us.

Holy Spirit, work in me to be an agent of peace. Whether it is a member of my family, my school or workplace, or within my community, may I be the first to work for peace and in so doing show Your love and grace to others. It’s in Jesus name I pray, amen.