I seem to really like the different Bible stories that deal with water. I love Peter walking on water. Not Jesus, I am not surpired by God who created all mater beign able to walk on water, but Peter. What faith it must have taken to step out of the boat, if only for a moment to defy nature itself. I also love the story of Peter (again Peter) who after the resserction is out fishing. He is back to his old occupation and presumably shamed by his denials of Jesus. He recognizes Jesus on the beach and dives in the water to swim to shore. He doesn’t wait for hte boat, he is compelled to be with Him.
Today I was reading Luke 8. Here is the story of Jesus calming the storm. “Master, master, we are going to drown!” The Bible says that they were in real danger. Seasoned sailors were wise enough to see the danger. Jesus is asleep. They awaken him, possibly with indignation. Jesus rebukes the wind and waves. He responds to his friends by asking, “Where is your faith?” These men were in real danger, but their faith was in the boat. Jesus had already healed the sick, raised the dead and cast out demons. Now they will meet the Jesus who controld even the forces of nature. They are terrified and amaazed and ask a qusetion we hear often in scripture. “Who is this man?”
Sometimes in life I feel like I am drowning. Drowning in obligations, or expectations, or hopelessness or frustration or monotony. Jesus asks, “Where is your faith?” If I knew Jesus better, would I respond didfferently. If I believed in his power, his goodnes, his love for me, I might look at things a little different. I might be willing to step out or dive in or even ride out the storm as needed.
John Mark McMillan in his pain filled song “How He Loves Us” uses the idea of drowning in the context of God’s overwhelming grace. Sometimes as I am drowning I don’t recognize the surroundings, I am focused on the fear and the feelings. I don’t like the sense of drowning, but Oh How He Love Us.
I am enjoying my search into Luke to answer the question, “Who is this man?” I love that I am still learning even after 23 years of being a Christian. Sometimes I still think Jesus should stop the storms immediatly so I don’t need to be afraid, but is he did then Peter wouldn’t have had a smaller victory in stepping out of the boat and the disciples would have not been able to see the awesome power of a God who could calm a storm. THe storm was intrical in helping the disciples answer the question of Who is this man? I will take the hurricanes and drowning and the sloppy wet kisses that come if it means I get to meet this man.
If you don’t know the song you should listen to it.