THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Friday, January 22. Matthew'8:14-22.
mighty worker, doing what only God can do, but we first get a glimpse of Him in His weakness as a real man (v. 24) ; cf. Ps. 121:4). Even the fierce tumult of the storm was not sufficient to awaken Him, He was so utterly exhausted. It was a terrific storm that swept down upon the little boat from the valleys running into the lake. The waves dashed over the sides of the boat so that it was filling (cf. 4:24; Mark 4:37; Luke 8:23). Though apparently in danger of sinking any moment, there was no real danger: no boat can go down that has Christ on board. What a contrast between the calm slumber of Christ through the storm and the wild excitement of the crew. But they had at least sense enough to turn to Him in their dire extremity. Their prayer was short and right to the point and plenty' long enough. Jesus first rebuked the disciples and then the storm. His rebuke of the disciples should be deeply pondered. “Why are ye fearful?” He asked. There seemed to be enough to make one fearful with the waves dashing into and over the boat and the Master apparently unheeding, but there was no sufficient reason for them to be fearful. There never is sufficient rea son for a disciple of Christ to be fearful under any circumstances (Phil. 4:6, 7). True faith in Him banishes all fear (John 14:1, 27). The whole trouble was “little faith.” Jesus rises in His majesty as Son of God and rebukes the wind and t'he'sea. Instantly there was a “great calm.” How many a tempest that voice has stilled! But now the disciples are more afraid than ever. A moment ago they were afraid of the storm, but now they are afraid of One who is evidently a supernatural being (cf. Mark 4 :41). How prone is the human heart to fear. Nothing fills it with such overwhelm ing fear as being brought face to face with God and the supernatural. They asked an important and timely question, “What man ner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” There can be but one answer to that question—the God-Man..
Peter’s family invited Jesus to. dinner, and well were they repaid. It always does pay to invite Jesus to our homes (cf. Matt. 25:37-44). Jesus could heal at a distance, but He loved to get right to the afflicted one. “He touched her hand,” there is some thing wonderfully tender about that. Mark, who got his information right from Peter, tells us that He also took her by the hand and raised her up (Mark 1:31). This, too, has a lesson for us. It is the hand grasp of a strong, well hand that the sick need, and it is the hand grasp of a holy, strong hand that the sinful and weak need. “The fever left her,” sickness, as well as leprosy, gives way before Jesus. She at once began to use her new-found strength and health in ministering to her Healer. A wonderful scene followed. The people waited until the Sabbath closed at sunset. Then from every corner of Capernaum we see them coming bringing to Jesus all the demon-pos sessed and sick. Oh, that we, too, could learn the lesson and bring all our devil- tormented and sick ones to Him. But even these people were not as eager for spiritual blessing as for healing. Neither are people today. But Jesus helped every one of them just the same (Luke 4:40). All this was in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (v. 17; cf. Isa. 53:4, R. V. margin). Saturday, January 23. Matthew 8:23-27. Our lesson today is a very brief one, but a marvelously significant one. It had been a very busy day for our Lord (Mark 4: 1-41). Much of the day had been spent in teaching the multitudes that thronged down to the seaside to hear Him. Evening found Him completely exhausted. No sooner did He reach the boat than He fell asleep on a pillow in the stern (Mark 4:38; Luke 8: 23). He was so thoroughly devoted to the work that the Father had sent Him to do that He had to take His sleep when He could. We shall see our Lord directly as a
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