By Tiffany Kristynik
Matthew 8:26-27 (ESV)
And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Can you imagine witnessing a thunderous sea turn suddenly still? Jesus’ disciples saw it firsthand. What a sight! It was unexpected; the men even questioned it. What fears did they have, or did a sense of calm wash over them?
We often face storms in life. They can even be metaphorical ones in our minds. Yet, Jesus is always working in us and around us. We don’t always trust His
plan or see His miracles unfold in our lives. But they are there. With a childlike faith, we see God performing miracles every day.
I remember my children’s VBS director explaining God’s miracles by saying: “Go out and look for ‘God Winks’ today, then come back and tell me about them.” One day at VBS, they learned the Bible lesson where Jesus calms the storm, but God becomes real and alive when kids can see miracles in their everyday lives.
As an educator and mom, I love seeing a light-bulb moment for a child or watching their mind calm after a storm. I even wonder if children think, “What is happening in my mind?” I loved when they reported back a God Wink and said: “We saw a rainbow after a scary storm,” or “That test was not as bad as I thought it would be.”
Let’s replace fear and storms with big faith. As you look for God’s miracles in your life, seek His calm to your storms, talk to Him, and see where He winks at you. Today and all the days of Lent, marvel at the God Winks—like the disciples in the boat—and share them.
Pray with me…
Heavenly Father, thank You for the miracles You performed and still perform. Help us to have a childlike faith and see all the ways You work in our lives and to notice your God Winks. Show us where You are calming the storms in our lives and helping us face our fears. Guide us through and give us a wink. In Your precious name we pray, Amen.