our daily bread
Dexu Xia
Who Is This?
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:41
“Remove everything from your desks, take out a piece of paper and pencil.” When I was a student these dreaded words announced that “test time” had come.
In Mark 4, we read that Jesus’s day, which started with teaching by the seaside (v. 1), ended with a time of testing on the sea (v. 35). The boat that had been used as a teaching platform was used to transport Jesus and a handful of His followers to the other side of the sea. During the journey (while an exhausted Jesus slept in the back of the boat), they encountered a swirling storm (v. 37). Drenched disciples woke Jesus with the words, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (v. 38). Then it happened. The One who had exhorted the crowds to “Listen!” earlier in the day (v. 3), uttered a simple, powerful command to the winds of nature—“Quiet! Be still!” (v. 39).
Jesus, please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
The wind obeyed and the wonder of fear-filled disciples was displayed with the words, “Who is this?” (v. 41). The question was a good one but it would take them a while to honestly and correctly conclude that Jesus was God’s Son. Sincere, honest, open-hearted questions and experience lead people to the same conclusion today. He is more than a teacher to listen to; He is the God to be worshiped.
Father, thank You for Your Word that helps us to see Jesus as Your Son. Please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
Our Daily Bread welcomes writer Arthur Jackson! Meet Arthur and all our authors at odb.org/all-authors.
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Matthew 8:19
这是谁？
他们就大大的惧怕，彼此说：“这到底是谁，连风和海也听从祂了。”-马可福音4章41节
记得在学生时代，只要听到老师说：“请把书本都收起来，拿出纸和笔。”我就知道测试的时间到了。
在马可福音4章，我们读到了耶稣所经历的一天。那一天，耶稣以在海边教导众人开始（1节），然后以在海上测试门徒为结束（35节）。耶稣在船上向众人宣讲信息，过后便乘着那艘船和门徒到对岸去。在航行中，耶稣因疲累而在船尾睡着了。这时海上忽然起了狂风（37节）。门徒们惊慌地摇醒耶稣说：“夫子！我们丧命，祢不顾吗？”（38节）接着，神迹发生了。先前，主耶稣在海边告诫众人要聆听（3节），如今祂对着大自然的风暴，下达简洁有力的命令：“住了吧！静了吧！”（39节）结果风浪听从了耶稣，门徒在惊叹之余，彼此对问说：“这到底是谁？”（41节）这是个好问题，但门徒需经过一段时间才真正认识耶稣是上帝的儿子。
今日，这种发自内心的真诚提问，以及切身的经历，也同样能让人们明白，耶稣不仅是我们当听从的导师，祂更是配得我们敬拜的上帝。
亲爱的天父，感谢祢赐下祢的话语，让我们知道耶稣是祢的独生爱子。
求祢帮助我能聆听祢的话语，并相信祢凡事都掌权。
“夫子，祢无论往哪里去，我要跟从祢。”－马太福音8章19节