From Jeffrey R. Holland (referring to Psalms 89:9):
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
There are times in all of our lives when storms of emotion, tribulation, or sorrow swirl about us and we plead for someone to still the storms. Speaking of the military advantage of a great navy, the Roman orator Cicero is reported to have said, ¨He that rules the waves, rules the world.” Little did he know how true that was. God rules the waves and he does rule the world. One of the greatest of all stories of the New Testament is the power demonstrated by the Savior in just such a circumstance.
After having taught for many hours, Jesus invited His disciples to cross over to the other side of Galilee. As is so often the case in the Holy Land, a great storm arose while they were crossing this sea that they knew so well, and the wave beat into the ship so that it was now full.¨161
Consider that men like Peter, James, and John were with Jesus on that ship, men who made their living on that sea, who knew its every current and all aspects of its personality. It helps us realize how serious the storm must have been to frighten them so much that they wakened the Savior, saying, Master, carest thou not hat we perish.¨ 162
It is tender to me that Jesus was asleep through all of this, which speaks of at least two things. First, His peace of mind in any storm and second, the incredible fatigue that He must have felt in giving so much to His ministry and the multitudes. In any case, He was awakened as a result of his disciples´ fear. He answered their faith by arising and rebuking the wind, saying to the elements, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.163
But after rebuking the wind, He at least rebuked His beloved disciples, for He turned to them and said, “why are ye so fearful and how is it that ye have no faith? Their reaction? ″And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?¨164
From time to time we all have occasion to cry our, “Master the Tempest Is Raging”—times when we “bow in . . . grief” and “torrents of . . . anguish sweep or o´er sinking soul.” But if we are in the company of the Savior of the world, the Master of ocean and earth and skies, ‘He will calm the winds and still the waves. 165 Truly we can all be less fearful. Surely with God′s help we will have more faith. ~Jeffrey R. Holland, For Times of Trouble (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 2012), p. 113-14
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