As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” -Mark‬ ‭4:35-41‬ ‭NLT‬‬

After reading this scripture the other day, it sparked my mind to write the following little illustration: 

Once upon a time there was a little boy who lived with his Father. The house in which they lived was amazingly, extraordinarily, magically, enormous! It would take a wanderer days to journey from one end to the other. Despite its size however, no matter where the boy went, he never felt far from his Father. Also, despite the size, nothing seemed neglected in the house. Now, this Father was an inventor and creator in the fullest meaning of both words. Being such, the son would often come across odd occurrences throughout the house such as plants the size of ordinary houses that would seemingly open up and lean in very close when he walked through a certain arch, or large waves, taller than a giant oak, crashing on the great sea that lay within the boarders of their home. None of this startled the boy though, he knew that in his Father’s house all would be well…  because his Father was the strongest, wisest, and most beautiful man… And because the Father loved the son and the son Lived knowing this.

One day travelers from afar found their way to the Father and son’s home. The son welcomed the sojourners on behalf of both him and his Father and told them all about how kind and wise and creative the Father was. The travelers were in awe of the many creations and the immensity and grandeur the home evoked both in the tangible realm and in wonder and thought.

One day, son and travelers alike arrived on the shore of the Great Sea within their home. On this particular day, the waters were calm and beautiful; the sun sparkled off the surface like a million gemstones. A little boat that rested upon the shore beckoned them to come and explore the glistening frontier. The son proceeded with jubilant steps towards the awaiting vessel, but the sojourners glanced skeptically at each other before one spoke, “This looks to be a mighty small boat for such a big body of water. You are just a boy. I don’t expect you to have had such experiences, but we have set out in calm waters such as these only to find the weather to change in an instant and nearly be drowned in a much larger vessel than this.”

The son, perplexed, fixed his eyes on the traveler who spoke, for it had never occurred to the boy to give value to fear inside his Father’s house, and with his Father so near, fear seemed doubly outlandish. “Don’t you remember what I told you about my Father?” the son inquired.