The Storm

Jesus had spent the day teaching people along the sea. When it starts getting dark, he says to the disciples: “Let’s sail to the other side.”

They get into a boat, and begin sailing. And Jesus lays down, and goes to sleep.

As I understand it, the topography, around the Sea of Galilee, funnels the wind down to the water’s surface. So, it is possible to have sudden, fierce, storms. And that’s what happened on this trip. A bad storm strikes the small boat. The disciples – many of whom are seasoned fishermen, some on that sea, used to storms – began to grow frightened at the storm’s severity. They began to fear being swamped, and drowning in the storm.

And Jesus slept.

They woke him finally, and said: “We’re all going to die!!”

Jesus stood up, looked the storm in the eye, and said “Ssh!” And the wind, and the waves, became still and quiet.

And Jesus asked: “Where is your faith?”

People everywhere have faith. The disciple’s faith was in their experience at sea, and the soundness of the boat. But the storm was bigger than both.

Jesus’ faith was in the Father, who is bigger that all things.

People have trials, problems, issues, frustrations, storms, emergencies, and catastrophes. They have faith in their skills, plans, bank accounts, and support system. (And it is not bad to have any, or all, of these. Indeed, Father thinks it is wise, and good, to have these.) And some have faith in their God-experiences. But they are all-finite. Because they are finite, they will all fail at some point.

Only one will not fail. Only one is worth putting our faith on.

Jesus’ trust, and reliance, was ultimately in his Father. God puts us into family, gives its, talents, and abilities. All this to support and help us. But, we need to view these things as temporary gifts. Our faith needs to rest on God, our eternally present Father.