We have witnessed an awesome display of the power of nature over the past week: it has fractured many man-made constructions, and disrupted normal life by its ferocity and unpredictability.  Trees have been uprooted, twisted and disboughed, power transformers have been short-circuited by nature's electricity, fires have begun, the force of the sea has been agitated into action.  All the while, we have been forced to sit and wait until nature's force has abated, and we can get about the tasks of cleaning up and of reconstruction.  We have been given a stark reminder of true power, and of our own powerlessness in its wake.

Imagine how the disciples would have felt being caught on the sea of Galilee in such a storm...  Their Lord asleep in the back of the boat, and their eyes growing wilder with fear, expecting to be swamped any moment.  They waken Jesus, who rebukes them for their fearful response and lack of faith, but their minds are still focussed on the turgid waters engulfing the boat.  They can scarcely take the rebuke in, for it seems unreasonable.

Jesus' next actions were most stunning, as he stood on the front of the boat and ordered, "Peace, be still!".  (Picture that happening at the height of last week's storms!).  And the storms abated.  The disciples could scarcely believe what took place.

There are times when our personal life is as tumultuous as last week's storms.  Fears about the future, cares about loved ones, disbelief at present circumstances.  It is as if the winds have lifted us out of "normal life" and are swirling us around at their mercy.  The power to uproot, disturb and destroy is as great as the storms.  Can we trust in the Lord of the Storm?  Can we have faith in the midst of it that He is in control?  Can we trust Him to restore calm at the appropriate time.  His power is demonstrably far greater than the worst tumult - able to restore order out of the chaos.  Can we - dare we trust Him?  Can we - dare we not trust Him?