storm – Me From the Inside Out

I’m sharing this verse of the day commentary borrowed from YouVersion, one of my favorite Bible apps. The app has Bible reading plans, easy to use verse look-up, and even images you can add verses to and then share with others. There’s so much more like prayer options and videos. If you don’t have the app yet be sure to give it a try. It’s also a great way to keep the Bible with you everywhere you go. Oh, and if you do check it out – or if you already have it, be sure and find the friend tab and add me. 💕

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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.
Mark 4:39

watch the short video clip here

The Sea of Galilee in Israel is known for violent, sudden storms. Strong winds can create huge waves that threaten seafarers, like we see in the book of Mark.

The night the disciples and Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee, a storm set in. Violent. Sudden. Terrifying. And while the disciples frantically worked to keep the vessel afloat, there was Jesus, asleep in the boat. The disciples woke him and asked: “Teacher, do you not care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38 NIV)

That question might read a little differently for you today:

“Jesus, do you not care that my health is falling apart?”

“Jesus, do you not care that my finances are draining out?”

“Jesus, do you not care that my relationship is in tatters?”

But there is more to the story.

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39 NIV

Jesus didn’t join them in their fear. Instead, He looked right at the storm and brought calm. Then, He asked His disciples why they were so afraid: “Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

Have you ever faced a challenge so massive, it threatened to overwhelm you? It can be disorienting, terrifying, heartbreaking, even, when the storm sets in and everything suddenly feels bleak in the face of such a strong force against us.

But God went with the disciples because He cared about them. He goes with you because He cares about you.

What storm are you facing today? Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine Jesus, unafraid of the storm, bringing everything to a calm. He is with you. You are not alone in this storm.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.”
Job 37:5

God is good. He does great things beyond our understanding. With His voice, He spoke, and the world was created – the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. He gives life to everything, and the multitudes of Heaven worship Him. Yet, this same authoritative voice can speak and, as the old hymn says, “His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing.” The thought that God’s voice can be both thunderous and sweet seems a contradiction of sorts, yet both are realities of who He truly is. My heart resonates with the truth of Job 37:5, for in all of the troubling things of this life – I have known His voice to be so sweet that fears are calmed and peace floods in like a river flowing deep and wide. Yet, I have also known His thunderous voice to bring calm in the midst of raging storms. I am convinced that He alone can speak calming peace to things like a mind clouded with dementia but also speak power and strength to our trembling legs – enabling us to walk through doors shadowed with daunting change and the unknown, and only He can speak and steady our gaze to stay fixed on Him instead of the pressing things of life and the world around us. What a mighty and gentle God we serve!

He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing…
In The Garden

Oh friends, how I pray we will hold tight to God’s hand today and not be found murmuring or giving way to discontent – but instead, may we find contentment in whatever comes – knowing God is in complete control and leading the way – holding us up with His victorious right hand, speaking over us and to us and making a way where there seems to be no way. – Me, from the Insideout 🦋

– These borrowed words from a song by Selah are becoming a daily prayer for me … “Part the waters, LORD, calm the raging storm in me.”

The following devotion and prayer are borrowed from Ourdailyverse.com:

Reflection:

In the everyday miracles that frame our world—the sunrise that greets us each morning, the stars that light up the night sky—we see glimpses of God’s grandeur. Job 37:5 draws our attention not just to the power behind these wonders, but to the love woven through them. It’s as if every thunderclap and every breeze carries a message of divine care and attention to detail.

Consider today how God’s love is like the weather patterns that surround us. Unpredictable, yes, but always moving, always shaping the world, and always reaching us in ways we might not fully understand. This verse reminds us that God’s methods are as vast as the universe, yet as personal as the air we breathe.

Let’s walk through this day with open hearts, ready to receive the gentle reminders of God’s presence and love in the natural beauty around us. Let it be a day of seeing the ordinary through an extraordinary lens—every moment a testament to God’s endless creativity and affection for us.

Ask Yourself:

How can I more consciously recognize the expressions of God’s love in the everyday wonders around me?
What simple act can I do today to reflect the creativity and love of God to those in my life?

As dawn breaks and Your creation stirs to life, I am reminded of the vastness of Your love and the marvels of Your works. The wonders You perform as breathtaking as they are, often go beyond my understanding, yet they speak to the depth of Your care for us. – Guide my heart and mind today to see Your hand in the smallest details and the greatest skies. Help me trust in Your ways, even when they are cloaked in mystery, in moments of joy and trial, may I feel the assurance of Your love wrapping around me, a constant reminder that I am never beyond Your reach. Thank You for Your unending presence and the peace that envelops my hearts In Jesus’ Name, Amen –
Ourdailyverse.com / 2-11-24

Tag: storm

With You in the Storm

At His Voice –