Jesus Stills a Storm On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” ~ Mark 4:35-41 (NRSVUE)
I wonder, have you ever felt afraid? Perhaps you were scared to try something new. Maybe there is something that always makes you feel uneasy. Or you were anxious about something that was out of your control. The truth is we are all human beings, and we all have things that fill us with fear, anxiety, or worry. Some people are afraid of snakes or spiders, some are afraid to be alone, some are uneasy in crowds, and others are afraid of making mistakes or not being good enough.
We are usually filled with fear when we think we might be harmed, either physically, emotionally, or psychologically, and those threats can be real or they can be imagined. Now many people think that fear is something bad, a “negative” emotion, but fear sometimes serves an important role in keeping us safe. If we find ourselves in a dangerous situation, fear can alert us and help us to get to a safer place. It’s like a defense mechanism that we have built into our bodies. However, there are other times when we allow fear and worry of what could happen to overwhelm us. In situations like that, we worry about things that never actually come to be, and we simply overwhelm ourselves when we really don’t need to.
In both of our stories today, we heard about people facing fears. The disciples were on a boat out at sea when they were suddenly surrounded by a fierce storm. They were not just imagining the wind and the waves; they were actually in the midst of a dangerous situation. As scripture says, they called to Jesus, who was sleeping in the back of the boat, and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Well, Jesus got up, and as only Jesus could do, he commanded the wind and the waves to stop and calmed the storm. Then he turned to the disciples and said, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
Now, I have to be honest. Had I been with the disciples in a boat in the middle of the ocean when a storm like that appeared, I, too, would have been filled with anxiety and worry. To put it plainly, I’d be terrified! It is a human reaction when we think we are in danger. But this story is not in the Bible to teach us about meteorology or the danger of boating during a storm. This story is in the Bible to teach us about trust.
It’s a story about a group of people who’ve followed Jesus for a while and have put their faith and trust in him. He has called them. He has empowered them. He has taught them about the power of God through healing people and casting out demons. And perhaps most importantly, he has called them his family. They’ve come to trust Jesus, believing and knowing that he can do far more than the average Rabbi or teacher. Jesus becomes disappointed in the story because he is trying to teach the disciples about trusting in him, and amid the lesson, they panic and are filled with fear at the first sign of trouble. The disciples knew that Jesus loved them and would protect them and that they simply needed to believe and have faith. But unfortunately, when the rubber hit the road, and the storm came, their faith blew away in the wind, and their trust washed away with the waves.
In today’s storybook, Don’t Be Afraid Little Pip, we meet Little Pip, a penguin who is afraid of swimming. She is afraid of doing the very thing she was created to do because she has forgotten who he is and what she is. Little Pip goes out of her way to try and learn to fly like other birds do because the bright blue sky looks more friendly than the dark blue ocean. But when she tries to fly, she ends up crashing into the water, where, ironically, she has to swim for her life. Little Pip tells everyone about her fear of swimming, but they all shrug it off. Merry, one of the other young penguins, is excited about learning to swim, and she reminds little Pip that she was created for swimming. She reminds her who she is and assures her there is nothing to be afraid of.
It’s just like the disciples when they are in the boat with Jesus, and the storm hits. They find themselves scared and worried that they won’t make it through the storm. The disciples wake Jesus. “Don’t you care that we are about to perish?” But the disciples have forgotten who they are, whose they are, and who they are standing there with. Jesus reminds them to have faith and not to fear. He was with them the whole time and all they needed to do was trust in him.
Folks, when we claim our identity, we remember who we are, whose we are, and who is always holding us in the palm of their hand. We can hold on to our faith and trust in God (even and especially) in difficult situations and not let fear overwhelm us.
So, brothers and sisters in Christ, as you go out into your busy week ahead, take some time to remember who you are, and whose you are, and how lovingly you are being held in the hands of God. Remember that you were created to live life and to live it abundantly! So, try your best to set your fears aside. Trust in God, knowing that you never walk this journey alone. And then remember to always look for the light, celebrating the beauty and the joy that is all around you.
0 Comments