Mark 4:39-40 - When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!"
Looking at the plain English, the fear is mentioned as they talk about the wind and waves obeying Him. Demonstration of power without the trust that He loved them deeply, could be very frightening indeed. How would I feel meeting a person who had power? Would I be worried about what they would do to me? Was their doubt in His power or was it more a worry about what He could do to them with that power?
If they had faith in Him, the miracle would not have taken them by surprise. If they truly understood who Jesus was, then a demonstration of His power would not frighten them. They were afraid of His power because they had not yet grasped His love.
“Who is this man? He is their friend and the one who loves them deeply. Now as I think, perfect love casts out fear, I see deeper dimension. Knowing we are loved by the God of the universe helps us to not fear His great power.
Religion scares us into submission to a powerful deity. Grace woos us into trust because we are loved by our Dad.