Piano Solo

Level: Late Intermediate

Calming the Tempest is based on one of my favorite hymn tunes, Master, the Tempest is Raging. It tells the story of Jesus and his disciples on the stormy Sea of Galilee, when Jesus “rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). The background of the hymn is a testament to the peace that Jesus promises will come to those who believe on his words. Mary Ann Baker wrote the words to this text after losing her only brother, and best friend, to tuberculosis. Her parents had died of the same disease earlier. After his death, Mary Ann wrote about a period of rebelliousness: “I said in my heart that God did not care for me or mine. But the Master’s own voice stilled the tempest in my unsanctified heart, and brought it to the calm of a deeper faith and a more perfect trust.” As we navigate the often stormy waters of our own life experiences, sometimes to the point that we think we’ll drown in sorrow and despair, I hope we can remember the promise and counsel that come from the Savior’s words: “Peace, be still.”