It Is Him! Trusting Jesus in Life’s Storms (Part 1)
“Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” — Luke 18:17 (LSB)
Sofia Cavalletti tells the story of a little girl who grew up in a home where no one ever spoke of God. One day, she asked her father, “Where does the world come from?”
He gave her a long, materialistic explanation — perhaps something about the Big Bang, evolution, and millions of years. Then he added, “However, there are some who say that all this comes from a very powerful being, and they call Him God.”
At that, the little girl ran around the room in sheer delight and cried out, “I knew what you told me wasn’t true; it is Him, it is Him!”
I can relate to that little girl. When I open Scripture, I can’t help but see the fingerprints of a powerful Creator on every page. Yet so many try to turn the creation account into myth or allegory — as though God couldn’t actually create the world in six days.
The same people often affirm that God can raise the dead or calm a storm, but somehow, they stumble at the thought of Him speaking light into existence.
But when we come to the Gospels, we see again and again: it is Him.
The same God who spoke creation into being is the same God who commands the seas.
And in Matthew 8:23–27, we find one of the clearest glimpses of that divine power.
Into the Boat
“And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.” — Matthew 8:23 (LSB)
During my visit to Capernaum in Israel, I saw a first-century fishing boat excavated from the bottom of the Sea of Galilee. It was about 26 feet long and 7 feet wide — sturdy enough for calm waters but helpless against violent storms.
That’s the kind of boat Jesus and His disciples climbed into that day. And before long, their calm journey turned into chaos.
The Great Storm
“And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was sleeping.” — Matthew 8:24 (LSB)
Matthew uses a striking Greek word for “storm” here — seismos — the same word used for an earthquake. This wasn’t just wind and rain. It was a mega shaking.
John MacArthur puts it vividly:
“The storm was so violent that it shook the water in the lake as if it were a glass of water in the hands of a great giant.”
The disciples — many of them seasoned fishermen — had likely weathered plenty of tempests. But not like this one.
And while the boat was being tossed like a toy, Jesus was sound asleep.
The Sovereign One Asleep
It’s such a contrast, isn’t it? The sea rages, the disciples panic, and yet Jesus rests — His head on a cushion, perfectly at peace.
Why?
Because even in His humanity, He trusted the Father’s sovereign care.
“He emptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness of men.” — Philippians 2:7 (LSB)
Jesus was fully God, but He lived entirely dependent upon His Father. That’s why He could sleep through the storm — not out of apathy, but out of complete confidence.
Faith in the Storm
There’s a lesson here for us.
Storms have a way of revealing what we truly believe.
Like the disciples, we may willingly follow Jesus into the boat, only to be caught off guard when the waves rise higher than our faith can bear.
Sometimes we panic. Sometimes we pray. Sometimes, if we’re honest, we do both.
But if you’re in Christ, you are never beyond His reach — even when you’re trembling in fear.
Because in every storm of life, there’s One who sleeps not in ignorance, but in sovereign control.
And when He speaks, even the wind and the waves obey.
Reflection Questions
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What does Jesus’ calmness in the storm teach us about His trust in the Father’s sovereignty?
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Why do you think the disciples — seasoned fishermen — were so terrified?
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When life’s storms suddenly arise, what tends to dominate your heart: fear or faith?
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How can you rest more deeply in God’s control even when your circumstances feel chaotic?
Next time in Part 2: we’ll see how the disciples’ panic turns into desperate cries for help — and how Jesus’ rebuke reveals both their weakness and His infinite power.
“Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” — Matthew 8:25