PEACE, BE STILL
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them,
Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another,
What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Mark 4:39 (KJV)
And He got up and [sternly] rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “HushG4623, be still (muzzled)!” And the wind died down [as if it had grown weary] and there was [at once] a great calm [a perfect peacefulness].
Mark 4:39 (AMP)
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible defines the Greek word translated “Hush” as follows:
G4623 siōpáō, see-o-pah’-o; from siōpḗ (silence, i.e. a hush; properly, muteness, i.e. involuntary stillness, or inability to speak; and thus differing from G4602, which is rather a voluntary refusal or indisposition to speak, although the terms are often used synonymously); to be dumb (but not deaf also, like G2974 properly); figuratively, to be calm (as quiet water):—dumb, (hold) peace. (37)
Charles Swindoll had this to say about Jesus telling the storm to “hush”:
When Jesus emerged from the hold of the ship, He exercised divine power over His creation (cf. Col. 1:16). The word for “rebuke” (see Mark 4:39) means “to express strong disapproval of someone,” “reprove,” or “censure.” Jesus hushed the storm like a parent reprimands a toddler throwing a tantrum. Unlike a rebellious child, however, the wind and waves obeyed. Immediately. (38)
Jesus put the wind and the waves in a divine time-out. It’s like the wind and the waves were two small children arguing. When a classroom of children is excessively noisy, the teacher sometimes flips the light switch a couple of times, and the children cease talking immediately. Jesus brought a hush, a serene quiet, a complete peace in the middle of a storm simply by speaking to the waves and the wind. He exhibited complete control over the forces of nature. This opened the disciples’ eyes to the fact that Jesus was more than just a man.
If Jesus can control the forces of nature, bringing peace in the middle of a storm, surely, He can command peace during our stress storms. Our inner turmoil or emotional upheaval is no match for the Master. Jesus can bring peace in the middle of our unrest. When circumstances seem insurmountable and unrelenting, take a deep breath and pray. Ask the Lord to give you peace of mind and reassure you that He is in control. Exchange frantic fear for the powerful presence of the Lord.
Father, help us to practice what we suggest to others. In the middle of our own concerns, help us to trust that You control all circumstances and will use every trial for our good and Your glory. Enable us to be still and know that You are God! (Psalm 46:10).