“Nature is an awful lot more powerful than we are.” New York’s Mayor Bloomberg in an AP article.
The devastation left by Sandy’s power is difficult to comprehend. I can only grieve with those who suffered losses of all kinds and pray for the strength and means to restore that which was damaged.
Perhaps we are a bit humbled by nature’s power.
Two iconic symbols of human power, Washington DC, the seat of the mighty United States government, and New York City, the electric hub of financial and cultural influence, were no match for Sandy. Both cities were rendered powerless by the storm.
Is anyone or anything more powerful than a storm like Sandy?
One day Jesus and his disciples encountered a violent squall while heading across the Sea of Galilee. Granted, it wasn’t the size of Sandy, but it was intense enough to generate fear in experienced fisherman.
The disciples woke Jesus, who had been sleeping, and accused him of not caring that they were about to drown. They were clearly afraid.
Jesus spoke directly to the wind and the waves, saying, “Oh, cut it out.” (My paraphrase.) Immediately the sea was eerily calm. Can you imagine being tossed by heaving waves one minute and sitting in still water the next?
The disciples who had been afraid of the storm were terrified at the display of Jesus’ power over the storm.
“Who then is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?”
There is a sense in which we should fear the Lord in recognition of his absolute power and awesome holiness. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” for to disregard the power of God is as foolish as ignoring hurricane warnings. But Jesus is not only powerful; he is also loving.
We can trust the power of Jesus because we know the love of Jesus.
Power without love is a force to be feared. A storm doesn’t love you; it is an unfeeling natural event. Wall Street doesn’t love you; it loves your money. Washington doesn’t love you; it loves your vote. Money and votes add up to power.
Jesus loves YOU.
Jesus doesn’t need your power. He reigns over all now and forever.
Yet, Jesus made himself nothing, surrendered his power to live on this wicked and storm-tossed earth, and was sentenced death by political and religious forces because he was a threat to their power. Why would Jesus do such a thing? Because he loves you.
He loves you so ferociously that he was willing to die in your place.
Let us stand in fearful awe over the powerful Love of God.
“…he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Phil. 2:8-11
Connecting Dots...to God 
A lot of people don’t really know about the power of wind and wave. My husband and I do. We live on a boat and cruise the ocean. Your comments about the stilling of the storm are graphic, yet they barely touch the power of such a thing. It is incomprehensible to anyone who has ever been buffeted by a storm at sea that anyone could simply say, ” Cut it out!” and cause the sea to go to a dead calm. The One who did that did not need to let himself be tortured and nailed to a cross. He did it because he loves us. He did it, because nothing less would even get our attention. We can never do enough to show our gratitude for what he did, yet all he asks is that we share this good news with others. Isn’t it amazing that of all the things we think to do to show our gratitude, this one thing is last? Thank you for telling the good news, and thanks for visiting my blog.
What an interesting life you must live cruising the ocean! You’re right, of course, I have no idea what it must be like to experience storms at sea – thanks so much for adding your insight!
Thanks, Judy. Good post and good perspective. Be blessed.
So much truth to what you have written here. “For to disreguard the power of God is as foolish as ignoring hurricane warnings,” if only our coountry could understand this truth .”Power without love is a force to be feared” I pray that our leaders will realize this truth. Great post, thank you.
Joy
What a wonderful message for me today. Thank you, and God bless.
And bless you, Peter. May the Lord fill you with his love today.
Awesome. Bravo. What a great article, so well written and your title sums up Jesus in a marvelous way.
Thanks Larry!