It had been a long, wearying day for Jesus and his disciples. The people had thronged around them as usual and Jesus had spent much of his time speaking and ministering on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was one his favorite places to work but at the end of the day, like any of us, he was exhausted and in need of a break.
As dusk began to fall Jesus asked his disciples to row their little boat across the lake. As they all piled into the boat and pushed off into the sea, Jesus found a quiet spot in the back, laid down and went to sleep. The picture of Jesus, the creator of the universe, weary and needing sleep is such a powerful and poignant image. So many other religions claim that their gods are too exalted to even consider coming down onto the same level as human beings and yet here is our God, the God of the Bible, the true and living God, not only choosing to become a man but taking on the infirmities so common to all of us. Jesus was tired and he needed a nap. It's a simple fact that should draw us close to Him and make us love Him more.
As they made their way across the lake, the weather, which up to this point had been calm and serene, suddenly became a raging tempest. The wind, whipped into a frenzy, churned the waves into a raging mass of water that began to froth and heave over the sides of the boat. Terrified, the disciples began to row hard in a desperate attempt to fight their way out of the tempest.
When this seemed like a lost cause they then began to desperately haul water out of the boat but still the storm raged around them, threatening to sink them. Finally in complete hopelessness, they turned to Jesus. As the lightning flashed across the blackened sky they caught a glimpse of Him, sleeping peacefully in the stern of the boat, completely oblivious of the raging storm that screamed around them all.
