“‘Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?’” ( Matthew 8:26 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. ).

Sometimes events seem so obvious to us, we wonder why others don’t see the problems or difficulties just as clearly. During the storm the disciples wondered two things: why Jesus could ask them what was so frightening, and how He could not be afraid Himself. In the midst of chaos, any other response seemed absurd. They even accused Him of insensitivity: “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ( Mark 4:38 38 And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish? ).

But Christ had to rebuke His men because their fear sprang from faithlessness. He basically asked them, “Haven’t you been with Me long enough to see what I can do and to know you are perfectly safe? Even if you should drown, that would mean instant heaven. There’s nothing to worry about.” They should have remembered Psalms 89:8 8 O Jehovah God of hosts, Who is a mighty one, like unto thee, O Jehovah? And thy faithfulness is round about thee. –9, “O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the swelling of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them” (cf. 46:1–3; 107:23–30).

For the disciples, Jesus would literally fulfill the psalm. And for believers today, who are aware of His power and love, there is still no need to be afraid of anything. God will see us through the most tumultuous of life’s storms because He can and will take care of His children.

Ask Yourself

When was the last time you despaired of life and safety, feeling as though there was no escape from your current situation without divine intervention? In fact, how many of these has God allowed you to live through—and to see His capable deliverance?

From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.

• Download our app The Study Bible!
• John MacArthur’s complete sermon archive
• The MacArthur Study Bible
• The complete MacArthur New Testament Commentary series