This morning was the boys’ first day back at school. On the way home I got so wet I had to remove all my clothes as soon as I got in the back door! I hoped that the builders in the house opposite were otherwise engaged as I peeled myself and Esther from our wet clothing.

The rain had come down so suddenly and then stopped again, just as quickly. We were dressed well in our rain coats, but the shower was just too powerful. We got soaked through.

It reminded me of an incident the other day when I was telling the children a story from the Bible. You will be familiar with the time that Jesus calmed the storm?

I explained that the disciples were afraid to die and thought that Jesus wasn’t going to do anything to save them.
They woke Him up shouting, “Don’t you care if we drown?!”

The children listened, wide-eyed and expectant as I told them that Jesus woke up, stood in the boat and, having berated his friends for their lack of faith, simply said two words; “BE STILL.”

With that, the wind and the waves, (and the hearts of His friends) were calmed. Instantly.

One of the children suddenly asked me an amazing question.
“Mummy do you think that the disciples finished the sentence in their heads?”

I didn’t know what he meant at first, so he explained.

“…. You know, the bit from the old testament that says “Be still and know that I am God.” Do you think that’s what they were thinking?”

(How amazing are kids by the way?!!)

“Well, they may have remembered that Psalm,” I said. “They had a lot of evidence that Jesus WAS God and I think they probably didn’t have much choice but to marvel at the sudden stillness in the sea and the sky.”

Jesus’ friends were fisherman, not scholars. They may have known certain psalms and passages off by heart if they were good at going to the Synagogue…we won’t ever know…
What we DO know is that WE know the rest of the sentence.

That makes a great deal of difference.

When you are in debt and someone tells you not to worry about it without having the power to cancel the debt, you will still worry.
If however, you are in debt and someone tells you not to worry because they have settled up with your creditors, at no cost to yourself, then you need worry no further.

Jesus does not say simply BE STILL… that is not the end of the sentence. He says BE STILL AND KNOW WHO I AM…. there is more to knowing Him than just peace and calm.

There is an awareness of the source… the knowing HE IS GOD bit.

Today, whatever you are facing, whatever storm you may be in, know that stillness and calm are a prayer away. I pray for you, as I pray for myself, that we will know the voice of Jesus saying over us…
BE STILL…. oh and by the way…. KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
That “I AM” part really matters.
Full stop.