Rembrandt’s painting captures the storm on the sea of Galilee so well. Some disciples are pictured toiling away to save the boat and their lives, others are panicking, some are waking up the sleeping Jesus, and another seems to be praying at the feet of Christ.

By the way, have you counted the number of people in the painting?

There are 14.

The Twelve disciples, Jesus, and then one other person.

Do you see him? It’s the man in the center, holding onto a rope with one hand, and grasping his cap with the other.

Who is this extra person in the painting?

While this extra person is not mentioned in the gospels, the extra person in the painting is Rembrandt himself. Why did Rembrandt paint himself into the story?

Because that's what Biblical stories do. They invite us to imagine ourselves within them.

Can you imagine yourself there that night? Can you imagine what it would be like to be on the boat, during that storm on the sea of Galilee? Can you feel the wind, the rain, the terror?

Are you in a storm right now in your life? Is life right now chaotic? Are there things happening in your life that are outside of your control?

Are you, like the disciples, toiling to save yourself? Panicking? Worn out? Me too.

My prayer is that during the storms of life, that in addition to living wisely and responsibly, that we would also fall at the feet of Jesus, and ask him to save us during the storms we face.

Because, after all, “He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Luke 8:25

Pastor Evan