Be Still!

I remember a story from the Bible, were Jesus was asleep on a boat with his disciples. A storm came, and the disciples were scared. They woke Jesus up, as they lost faith amidst a tempestous storm. Jesus calmed the waters and commanded the wind and clouds to be still.

Be still! Jesus rebuked them for they lost faith when they were scared. Be at peace! Have faith! This is what Jesus tells his followers. Jesus also gave his peace on this earth to those who believe in Him. With that, we can be still.

Tonight, while I was in the classroom, the ground crumbled. My students who were all sitting, felt the tremor first. It was probably at 3-4 magnitude in the Richter scale, that was felt in Manila. From the epicenter in Mindoro, it was at 5.7, felt at 6:37, and then at 9:29, another earthquake was felt in the Bicol region, the epicenter was at Camarines sur with a 4.5 magnitude.

Last March 4, there was also an earthquake with the epicenter somewhere in Batangas and Mindoro, it has the same magnitude of 5.7. I was at the 9th floor administering listening quiz. From the ground floor it was not really felt, but up there, the building was really at shake.

As a teacher, I should be composed in front of my students in such a situation. I remember while we were still, while the we could all feel the tremor and the dizziness that it cause us. I was still, and one yelled out. "Am I gonna die?" I replied, "well dear, if you will from this earthquake, then we all are".

Back in June 16, 1991, when an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 billowed so many infrastructure in Baguio and the Northern Luzon, I was playing in the school ground as sophomore. I was really scared then, as I felt the ground moving, and I could not even stand on my feet.

All I could do, was kneel on the ground,and slouch there, while I was praying for God's protection to all of us in the school and to my family. Then, I saw the building shaking, the light post shaking, the cables like being wagged by a huge hand. That earthquake took many lives.

I was just right in the safest place in case of any emergency such as an earthquake. Tonight, I thank God that I was still, composed at peace. I even continued the lesson after the tremors, while my students were perhaps oblivious about my actions.

But, I am saddened, by comment I read from the internet, which reads: "I hope God can protect us from all these." With confidence and certainty, I would like to tell anyone who thinks like this, to be still. For God who has given Jesus to us in faith, promises us that his mercy, love, and grace endures forever. If ye have faith, then you should be still, for the Lord God is mightier than any other power on this world and even under it.