In a story titled “Mt. Magdiwata runner’s death puts spotlight on trail run safety” published yesterday, it was reported that “The death of a participant during the 50-kilometer Mt. Magdiwata Ultra Trail Run 2025 last October 5 has drawn mixed reactions online, with friends and fellow runners raising questions over the event’s safety protocols even as the organizers maintained that it was carefully planned and properly coordinated.
In a statement posted on its official social media page, the San Francisco Water District (SFWD), the main host of the 2025 event, said the trail run had been “carefully planned and coordinated with the concerned local authorities, medical teams, and support personnel” to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants.
However, despite all safety measures in place, unforeseen circumstances occurred that were beyond anyone’s control,” the organizers said.”
And, you know, as sad as this story is, it’s a reminder that every person will eventually face unforeseen circumstances that are “beyond anyone’s control." In fact, if you've been walking with the Lord for any length of time, you will attest to having experienced at least one these pop-up storms that rocked your comfortable state and made it feel as though you were battling a "great windstorm" while being beaten by the waves.
"On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? Howis it that you have no faith?” Mark 4:35-40
Thankfully though, believers don’t have to give in to despair when their boats are “filling” and it appears they will drown. They can and should look up and trust the One who can rebuke the wind, and say to the sea, "Peace be still!" and it will be done immediately.
You see, it’s when we take our eyes off Jesus that the wind and waves appear to be bigger than the One who created them and has complete control over them—something that causes us to quickly give in to worry.
Sadly, like the disciples, most of us panic when it appears that Jesus doesn’t know or care about what we're going through. Think about it, the disciples had the presence of Jesus in the boat and had heard the promise they would get over to other side, and they still panicked, and woke Jesus up and said, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” The answer to their question was of course Jesus cared! So much so that “He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm."
And this is where it gets good. After the storm was calmed, “He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” Notice that Jesus didn’t say “Wow, what a storm! I’m sure glad we made it out of that one!” Instead, He asked, “Why is it that you have no faith?” The storm couldn’t disturb Jesus because He had supreme authority over it, but the unbelief of His disciples disturbed Him.
And this is where it gets good. After the storm was calmed, “He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” Notice that Jesus didn’t say “Wow, what a storm! I’m sure glad we made it out of that one!” Instead, He asked, “Why is it that you have no faith?” The storm couldn’t disturb Jesus because He had supreme authority over it, but the unbelief of His disciples disturbed Him.
You can be sure that It wasn’t the disciples fear of the storm that made Jesus say they had no faith either. A small boat in a big storm is a scary place, and the initial fear itself isn’t wrong. What the disciples chose to do with the fear made all the difference.
Think about it. Each of them had heard Jesus say, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake” Jesus didn’t say, “Let’s do the best we can and maybe we’ll make it.” He promised a safe arrival, and the disciples could have chosen to stop and trust in that promise, but they didn’t. In this sense they had no faith.
Furthermore, Jesus could say they had no faith because they accused Him of a lack of care towards them, saying, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” This is so contrary to the truths laid out in the Bible and something the disciples knew but stopped to consider in their moment of panic.
Think about it. Each of them had heard Jesus say, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake” Jesus didn’t say, “Let’s do the best we can and maybe we’ll make it.” He promised a safe arrival, and the disciples could have chosen to stop and trust in that promise, but they didn’t. In this sense they had no faith.
Furthermore, Jesus could say they had no faith because they accused Him of a lack of care towards them, saying, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” This is so contrary to the truths laid out in the Bible and something the disciples knew but stopped to consider in their moment of panic.
Lastly, the disciples forgot the end of the story. They failed to remember that Jesus had a divine purpose that could not be thwarted. Which meant He would not perish in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee, and since He was in the boat with them, they wouldn't perish either.
In addition, if anyone should have had faith, it was the disciples who walked, talked, and lived with Jesus. They heard firsthand the promises of God and saw many miracles and yet, in the moment that a pop-up storm sidelined them, they panicked and traded faith for fear.
So, no matter what you're going through today, don't give in to fear my friend. Stop to consider the promises of God that clearly tell us that the same God who calmed the wind and the waves for the disciples is the same God who wants to calm the wind and the waves in our lives too. And the same God who got the disciples to the other side is the same God who will get us over to the other side as well. It may not always be smooth sailing, but Jesus will be in the boat and for that we have nothing to fear.
Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that we have nothing to fear if we have placed our trust in You. Help us to remember that there's no storm in our lives that Jesus can't help us weather. When we are tempted to panic when a circumstance beyond our control pops up, help us to trust the One who is at complete calm in the storms. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!
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