Passing through stormy seas or tempestuous waters is a common motif in the Scriptures. Pharaoh’s horses and riders are drowned in the Red Sea, while Moses and the Israelites cross over on dry land. Jonah attempts to avoid God’s calling by sailing across the sea, only to be thrown overboard in a terrible storm and swallowed by a giant fish. The disciples are terrified during a storm on the Sea of Galilee, until Jesus wakes from His slumber and calms the winds and waves. And of course, Paul shows remarkable constancy during a stormy voyage across the Mediterranean on his way to Rome, a story told in this morning’s sermon text. All of these examples illustrate mankind’s trust (or lack of trust) in Gods providential care: as the Lord comforts us in today’s Gospel Invitation, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2). Hymns like My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less, When The House Of Israel Out Of Egypt Came (Psalm 114), The Song At The Sea, Jesus, Lover Of My Soul, Incarnate God (Psalm 91), and How Can I Keep From Singing all use imagery of “storms,” “floods,” and “tempests” to convey our dependence on the Lord and His providential care. The closing hymn, There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood, also speaks of being plunged beneath a flood—though this time the “flood” is not destructive water but Jesus’ cleansing blood. Sinners plunged beneath this flood lose not their lives, but all their guilty stains.
—Henry C. Haffner
