Personal danger exposes our true belief-systems.  Even though at least four of the disciples were experienced fishermen, used to the ferocious squalls on Lake Galilee, all of the disciples were scared that they might die.  A fierce wind swept over the lake, heaping up the water which threatened to swamp and sink the boat (Luke 8:22-23).  In their panic, they woke up the Son of God as though He did not know what was happening.  Of course, He knew what the weather would be like for their lake crossing - it was to be an early test of their faith in Him: a test which they failed.  

Although the disciples had been called by Jesus and appointed as His apostles (Luke 6:13), they did not really know who He was.  They enjoyed the privilege of accompanying a great teacher (Luke 4:16-21) and miracle worker (Luke 5:12-16) but could not grasp how Jesus could forgive sins (Luke 5:20-26).  All the time, Jesus was revealing more of Himself; not only His power to do what was naturally impossible, but His divine authority to do so.

Jesus knew that the disciples were ruled by natural fear (Luke 5:8-10).  They had not yet learned to trust Him, because they did not know who He was.  This dramatic event was necessary for them to start to realise His identity and their own lack of true relationship with Him.  As the water started to pour in, they assumed that they would drown; in Mark’s account they accused Jesus of not caring about their predicament (Mark 4:38).  By contrast, Jesus simply stood up in the half-submerged boat and told the wind and waves to calm down, just like commanding a dog to sit still.  Immediately, the inanimate water and wind obeyed, and the boat was still!  A moment before, the disciples were screaming with fear, now they were asking the question that really mattered, ‘Who is Jesus that He can speak into the storm to disrupt the laws of physics and instantly produce peace?'

The answer to that question is critical if anybody is to develop true faith.  If Jesus is the Son of God, the CEO of creation, the Saviour of the World, the Judge of all people and the Hope of the Nations - then He can do anything (Colossians 1:15-20).  To trust Him in every circumstance is the greatest wisdom, especially when the natural course of events has become hopeless.  The worst of these is the sin within us which will destroy us unless we trust Jesus to take it away.  That is why the Gospel accounts were written (John 20:30-31), so that people may know the identity of Jesus and enter eternal life with Him.  Those who do believe in Him are saved from God’s wrath which is far more serious than a storm at sea (Romans 5:9).  So, when the problems come, they can rest assured that Christ is in command and they do not need to suffer the inner raging of unbelief.