Dear friend,

Does your life ever get stormy?

That’s a rhetorical question. We all encounter storms in life. If you aren’t experiencing one right now just wait, there may be one coming soon! The good news is that we all have Someone who can enable us to stay calm inside no matter how the storms rage outside.

There are two parallel storm stories in the Bible. The storm Jonah was in (Jonah 1:4–15) and the storm Jesus experienced (Mark 4:35–41). Both Jesus and Jonah were in boats, which were overtaken by storms. In both stories, they were asleep when the storm hit and were awoken by sailors saying, “We’re going to die.” And in both cases, the sea was calmed by a miraculous divine intervention. Further, in both events the sailors then became even more terrified than they were before the storm.

Although Jonah ended up in the water and Jesus didn’t, when we look at the rest of the story of Jesus we realize the stories aren’t actually different. In Matthew 12:40–41 Jesus said, “For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights…Now someone greater than Jonah is here….”

Jesus was referring to Himself. He is greater than Jonah. He is saying, “Someday I’m going to calm all storms, still all waves. I’m going to destroy destruction, break brokenness, and kill death.”

This is the message of Easter—that on the cross Jesus was thrown willingly into the ultimate storm, into the waves of sin, death, and God’s justice so we could live. The storm wasn’t calmed until it swept Him away. And like Jonah, three days later He reappeared bringing life to the lost.

Jesus succumbing to that storm is the proof of God’s love for you and me. Easter reminds us He didn’t abandon us in that ultimate storm and assures us He will not abandon us in the smaller storms we experience in life right now.

Insight for Living Canada is here to proclaim these great truths to those who have never heard them, and to remind God’s people of them when the storms are raging. But we can only do it because people like you choose to help.

Will you support us with a financial gift so we can proclaim these great truths?

Allow me to ask the question I began this letter with. Does your life ever get stormy? If so, have you experienced the assurance that the Lord will not abandon you to the storm, perhaps an assurance that came through the ministry of Insight for Living Canada?

It is our desire that those who are being overwhelmed by their storms would know this assurance. Jesus is the One who can enable them to stay calm inside no matter what rages outside. If you have experienced Jesus’ calming reassurance then you know how important it is that others experience it too.

God loves you, He loves me, and He loves those who are terrified of being swept away by storms. Easter proves it. Join us through your prayers and gifts to declare what Jesus has done for us.

Serving with you,

Steve Johnson

Executive Director

PS Send a gift today to help in declaring the great Easter truth: Jesus has calmed the ultimate storm and will not abandon us in our time of need.