Have you ever been really scared? Maybe a nightmare? Maybe your big brother snuck up behind you and said, “Boo!” Maybe a thunderstorm? Maybe a big wave that slammed you down to the ocean floor? One night, Jesus’s disciples were really scared. Do you want to know why?

Here’s what happened. After a long day of helping people, Jesus said to his twelve apostles, “Let’s sail across to the other side” (see Mark 4:35). So they got on a boat and pushed off from shore. As they were sailing, a terrible storm arose out of nowhere. The wind was blowing against them and pushing huge waves into the boat. The boat was starting to fill with water; the disciples were totally filled with fear! For even the experienced fishermen on board knew that they couldn’t save the boat from sinking if it filled with water. So the disciples rushed to Jesus. One problem—he was fast asleep. “Teacher,” they yelled, “Wake up! Don’t you care about us? We are all about to die!” (see 4:38). Of course, Jesus cares! He cared for them then; he cares for us now. But he didn’t fear the storm. When you’re as strong as Jesus, you’re even more powerful than the wind and waves. So he woke right up and he shushed the storm! “Peace! Be Still!” he commanded the waves. And you know what? They obeyed! The water stilled and the wind stopped. In an instant, the sea was like a sheet of glass—perfectly flat and still.

Jesus rebuked the wind and waves, and then he rebuked the twelve: “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (4:40). Jesus wanted them to trust him even in the storm. The disciples had been afraid of the storm, but now they were afraid (in a good way!) of Jesus. Mark ends this story, saying that the disciples “were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” (4:41). What a great question! But they’d have to wait until after Jesus’s death and resurrection to really get their answer. He is the Almighty Creator, the only Son of God, the Savior of the world. For now, they needed to learn a lesson we too need to learn: Jesus is so strong that those who trust him never have to be afraid.