WARMING UP: Given the choice, would you rather cross water by bridge, boat, or aeroplane?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week? 

ENTERING INTO THE STORY:

35-36    Do we ever feel the need to 'get away from it all'? To go somewhere we can have some peace & quiet? Or is the very thought unrealistic for us? Is there somewhere we do like to get away to? Is our getting away just a physical or emotional thing, or is there a spiritual dimension too? What about when 'other boats' (that may represent people who're part of our scene & others who are not) come with us, or are still in the offing, & we're still not alone? Can any of us ever really leave the crowd behind? Should we anyhow? Isn't 'the crowd' what life's all about anyway?

37-38    Have we ever been in actual physical danger? Were we scared? Even despite our basic belief that God is always with us? Do we scare easily when perceived danger of some kind threatens? Do we ever feel God is asleep on the job? How do we go about 'waking him up'? Or is it best to just let sleeping gods lie?
             Are we entirely sure God does care what happens to us? That God is personally concerned for our personal welfare & safety? Or is that too big an ask, even of a God as 'big' as ours? What kind of things, if any, do we see threatening to drown us / our community / our nation / our world? Why doesn't God wake up & do something to save us? How long do we have to cower in, or cling to what seem to be sinking 'boats'?

39-41    What threatening 'winds' or stormy 'waves' would we like to see Jesus calm in our own life today? Who would  benefit from such calming - just us? Do we long to hear Jesus saying, "Peace! Be still!" in some storm threatening - or seeming to - our own personal or family life? How does he 'speak' that kind of peace these days, make it come about?