Peace in the Storms

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1633, Gardner Museum

READ: The friends of Jesus told many stories about Jesus saying and doing amazing things. One story tells of a time when Jesus and some of his friends were in a boat heading across to the other side of a lake. Once they were sailing, Jesus lays down and falls asleep in the boat. Suddenly a big wind began to blow, and the waves grew large, and they were in the middle of a great storm. The waves were spilling over into their little boat.
His friends were frightened. But despite the storm, Jesus was still sound asleep. They woke him up, telling him about the storm and their fears. When he woke up, Jesus stood up, and told the winds and waves to stop. And just like that, there was calm on the waters, and the winds were still.
Then Jesus looked at his friends and asked, “Why didn’t you trust me?”
His friends didn’t know what to think, they were amazed and wondered among themselves, “Who is Jesus? Only God can command the winds and the water.”
Jesus’s friends told this story as a reminder that Jesus is always with them.
WONDER: 
I wonder why the friends of Jesus were afraid when the storm began?
I wonder if you’ve ever felt afraid like Jesus’s friends?
I wonder how Jesus’s friends felt after Jesus calmed the storm?
I wonder which part of this story you like best?
I wonder what part of this story is most important?
PRAY: Dear God, thank you for being a safe place for us when we have difficult times. Help us to remember you are with us when we are afraid. Amen.
EXTEND

• Using your favorite art materials or building blocks create your own depiction of this story. Retell the story in your own words. 
• ​Storms can carry discarded plastics into the ocean, adding to the problem of plastic pollution. Learn more about ocean plastics by watching the video series Trash Talk by NOAA. Talk with your family about ways you can reduce your plastic use.
• In the picture book Rain Fish, Lois Ehlert, the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator, uses the debris which collects during a storm to create mixed media “rain fish” for her story. The book includes an explanation of how the author found the materials used in the book. How might you make your own rain fish?

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