H,
There is only so much a poor heart can take in the midst of various storms.
I suspect that because we do not live in a storm ravaged part of the world, we
may dismiss the pure viciousness and violence of one ravaging through our homes
and lives. We may not be able to appreciate the way it takes from you and the
loss it gives in return. When we use the analogy of a storm, we may not be
wired in to the devastating level of upheaval which this represents.
I always think of the disciples in that boat and how they must have
felt. We always see it as a lack of faith, but it is a fairly normal reaction
to be afraid of being swept away and drowned. It is how we would all feel. We were
not built for anxiety or chaos or the fires that ravage most of human life. It is
like that burst of fear that makes you believe you are coward even though it is
just a feeling and cowardice is mostly how you act not how you feel. We are
told to be scared at all shows a lack of faith. This is simply not true.
I do not even think that was Jesus’ point with his disciples. He was not
telling them that they could have stopped it by faith. He was asking them why
they did not have the calm of faith in the midst of the storm. He had been
teaching them and showing them that there was no end to the glory of God. They had
seen the miracles and heard the words and called Him “messiah”. He was asking of
them to understand what Paul would later summarize as: “To live or die is
Christ and gain”.
The storm does not matter because it cannot kill the eternal destiny we
have in God. Whatever it brings.