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 A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.(Mark 4:37) 

 

In C.S. Lewis’ book on pain and suffering he said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world," Think about that as we read about the “big wind storm” on Galilee. The God who controls the storms planned this “big storm.” He intended it to be a megaphone to wake them up to understand themselves and the God who made them. 

 

The term “big wind storm” translates the Greek word, “lailaps”. Lailaps was one of the most dreaded storms on the sea of Galilee.  Every fisherman feared one. Growing up around the sea they had heard all kinds of shipwreck stories but also many ghost stories. Legend said that the lailaps was a sea monster (the word literally means, “dog”) that devoured any in its path. As the storm worsened and the “waves beat into the boat” they desperately tried to control the boat. They pulled with all their might on the rudders and tried to adjust the sail. But the storm was too powerful. They feared they would be swallowed by the lailaps. 

 

Suffering is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” It is also one of the ways he speaks to his own children–like those disciples in the boat. What we can call the ‘storms of life” are not just seasons of adversity and suffering. In God’s plan, they are his megaphone. That doesn’t necessarily mean it is a punishment or judgment. But the Bible says in the lives of his people, it is always for discipline:

 

Whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline? (Hebrews 12:6,7)

God does not send storms because he is angry with us. In ancient times, the Lailaps Monster was unleashed out of wrath. But God’s purpose for the disciples was to prove his love. Notice three reasons for the storms:

 

Discipline (Hebrews 12:6). The word “discipline” means, “training” not “punishment.” God plans the storms to teach us important truths about ourselves and about him we would not otherwise learn. 

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Proof (Hebrews 12:8) Though we do not like the discipline God sends, we need to understand it as a proof he is our father and he loves us.

 

Profit (Hebrews 12:10) Hebrews says that there is an eternal value (“profit”) in our suffering far beyond.  Human fathers offer value for “a few Parts” but our heavenly father disciplines “for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.” 

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Study Guide

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Fill in the blanks with answers from today's lesson

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1. God ____________________________________to us in our pleasures, ___________________in our conscience, but __________________________ in our pain; it is His ____________________________________ to rouse a deaf world," 

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2. The term “big wind storm” translates the Greek word, ________________________. It  was one of the most ___________________________  ____________________________ on the sea of Galilee.

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3. As the storm worsened and the “_____________________ beat into the boat” they desperately tried to ___________________________the boat. They pulled with all their might on the rudders and tried to adjust the sail. But the _____________________ was too _________________________. 

 

Reflection Questions

 

Read Hebrews 12:6-10 and describe the three purposes of storms (discipline, proof and profit) affect your view of suffering in your life: 

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Discipline (Hebrews 12:6)

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Proof (Hebrews 12:7)

 

Profit (Hebrews 12:10)

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