Silence amidst turmoil
by Stuart Gray
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But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed (Mark 15:5).
Read Mark 15:1–11
The world is very unsettled at the moment. We are faced with great uncertainty and division. The recent horrific events in the Middle East and the subsequent conflict leave us in despair and questioning whether there will ever be peace in that region.
In Australia, the divisiveness caused by the recent referendum continues to divide families, communities and the country. There are many other issues causing much concern about our future. And we are often at a loss as to what to do.
But unsettled times have always been with us, and this passage in Mark describes in part a major event that changed the world forever.
The drama of the trial of Jesus always grips me. The events unfold during the evening. Everyone is talking about what is happening; even a slave girl is engaged in the events and observes that Peter is one of the disciples. The chief priests, elders, teachers and the whole Sanhedrin are so determined to get rid of Jesus that they work right through the night to achieve their goal. They whip up the crowd, who are calling out, ‘Crucify him’. The governor, Pontius Pilate, is imposed upon in the middle of the night, and even Pilate’s wife offers advice on how Pilate should deal with Jesus.
Accusations against Jesus are coming in thick and fast; the whole scene is tense, confusing and volatile.
Yet what does Jesus do? He remains silent and makes no reply. In doing his Father’s will, he is calm and composed, even though he knows what he has to endure. This behaviour was such a contrast to the turmoil around him that Pilate was amazed.
I have never experienced a cyclone, but at the centre of the storm, there is calm – the eye of the storm.
Jesus is like the eye of the storm. In him, we can find calm when everything around us is in turmoil. In Christ, we find peace and meaning in our lives.
We so often think we have to fix the things that are broken. Maybe the best we can do is be calm, silent and alive to God in our lives.
Heavenly Father, we pray that through your word, we may bring peace and calmness to this world of turmoil. Amen.
Stuart, with his wife Pamela Dalgliesh, lives in Mansfield, Victoria. Stuart has a background in agricultural science, rural journalism and corporate affairs. He loves living on a small farm in the beautiful High Country of Victoria, being involved in the Mansfield community and travelling, having in the last three years done extensive travels in Western Australia, Queensland, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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