Storm at Sea

I’ve had a very bad week. Rather than list all the horrible little things that happened, I’m just going to cut to the chase and share with you the biggy -- my boss is resigning. Now you may be saying, okay, I understand your anxiety, but you will survive. No big deal. We’ve all had new bosses at one time or another. What you don’t know is that he brought me on staff, specifically to work with him. When he leaves, I will be out of a job.

I feel like I am grieving for a dying friend, wanting them to find relief and knowing that the loss will rock my world. I walked around all day yesterday on the brink of tears. I don’t understand what God is doing. He called me to this ministry at this time. I’m fulfilling His purpose for my life. People are counting on me. I’m making a difference in people’s lives. So is the rug being pulled out from under me? Why do I feel like I am drowning?

Turn with me to Matt 8:23-27

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

This event takes place early in Jesus ministry. He and his growing number of disciples were in the region of Galilee. Jesus was going about the countryside preaching the Good news of the Kingdom of God and healing the sick (Matt 4:23). The crowds had gotten so big that he needed to go up on a hillside to preach to them (Matt 5:1). He gave them the beatitudes, taught them about the law, anger, sexual sin, divorce, making oaths, worship, and money (Matt 5:3-7:27). They marveled at his teaching style and noted the he spoke as one with authority (Matt 7:29).

When he came down from the mountain, the crowds followed him. A leprous man stopped him and said, Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean (Matt 8:3). Jesus healed him. Further down the road a Roman soldier whose servant was dying stopped him. This was the man who said, I am unworthy for you to come to my house, but just speak the word, and my servant will be healed (Matt 8:8). Jesus healed the servant. Finally arriving at Peter’s house, the group discovered that Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever (Matt 8:15). Jesus healed her. After dinner people who witnessed the miracles on the road and those who heard about them brought the sick and demon possessed to Jesus. He healed them all (Matt 8:17).

Now it was a very long day for Jesus. It was a very long day for the disciples. It was a very long day for everyone who had been following Jesus around the Galilean countryside. Jesus told his followers that he needed to get to the other side of the lake. So they got into boats and began crossing the sea. I want you to picture yourself in the flotilla. You’re lucky, you’re on a 26’ x 7½ ’ boat with 4 oarsmen.  Most of the other followers are in smaller fishing boats. You’re tired. It’s very late. You look over and see Jesus fast asleep. The waves are softly lapping against the boat.

You start to nod when suddenly a wave crashes across the bow. Peter, Andrew, James and John spring into action. This is the sea that they’ve fished for many years. They know that storms erupt without warning but they’re just as tired as you are, and they can’t get the rigging down. “Where’s Jesus? He couldn’t possibly still be asleep. Quick, go wake him. We’re all going to drown. But wait, didn’t we just see him heal the sick, cure the leper, cast out demons? Oh Lord, save us!”

I can’t imagine what they thought Jesus would do. I’ll bet not one of them anticipated that he would chastise them. I can picture their dumbfounded looks when he asked, “What are you so afraid of?” Let me think. Maybe it’s the gale force winds? Maybe it’s the 20-foot waves crashing over the bow? Maybe it’s because I can’t see the other boats? I’m afraid.” “Faith? I have faith. I have faith that unless you do something, I’m going to drown.”

Ever been there before? Ever cry out to God and say, Lord, if you don’t do something I’m not going to make it? I have. We all have. Storms come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Disappointment, loss, grief, rejection, addiction, illness, death – the list goes on. And regardless of its actual size, when you’re in it, it feels huge. That’s because although a storm may begin as a series of events or circumstances, it soon also develops internally as worry, anxiety or fear. When that happens the storm is not only raging around you but within you as well. Jesus got up and addressed the wind and the rain and said, “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). And all was calm. I believe that when he spoke those words, he not only calmed the wind and the waves but the hearts of those at sea.

I have done a lot of traveling in the past three years. I have spent my share of time in airports waiting for the weather to break so I could get to my destination. I’ve also been on a couple white-knuckle flights where the turbulence had more than one person on board praying in tongues. Generally though, when a storm front is in the flight path, the pilot will fly at a higher elevation. Up above the storm clouds it’s smooth sailing. When you’re up there, you forget about what’s going on below you. You’ve placed your faith in the pilot, the airlines and the laws of aerodynamics. You expect to get to your destination.

Even though Peter, Andrew, James and John were experienced fisherman on the Sea of Galilee and had weathered storms before, they could not insure safe passage to the other side. When Jesus asked the disciples why they were afraid, he was also asking why they didn’t expect to get to their destination. He did. He told them before they got on the boat that they were going to the other side (Matt 8:18). What’s more, He was going with them. As long as He was in the boat, that boat was going to get to the other side. His faith would get them to their destination. His faith moved the wind and the waves. His faith touched their hearts. We are told they were amazed and wondered what kind of man He was? He is the kind of man who gets His followers to the other side.

Now back to my job dilemma. What frightens me the most about this whole situation is that I can’t see the big picture. I don’t know what God is going to do next. I can try to fly above the storm, but I’m not the pilot.

Why am I teaching Sunday School this weekend? Because I needed to be reminded, when I feel like I’m drowning, I need to remember that Jesus is in the boat with me. And as long as He is in the boat, I was going to make it to the other side.

Now that doesn’t mean, I wouldn’t be soaking wet or wind blown when I got there. It just means I would make it to the other side. My favorite promise in the Bible is found in Phil 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. This verse is my assurance that Jesus will always, always, always get me to the other side. That no matter how big the storm is ranging around me, I am going to make it.

How about you? Is there an area in your life that feels overwhelming right now? Do you feel like you’re drowning? Or are you pretending to be flying above a storm? Have you gotten in the wrong boat? It’s time to fly through the turbulence of adversity to come to the place of calm and peace. Its time to put your faith in the only one who can still the storm in your soul. Its time to come to the other side.

How to Get to the Other Side

1.     Set the course: Refer to the instruction manual.

2.  Fasten your life jacket: PRAY ask God for help

3.     Put your oars in the water, Launch into the deep: Jesus is with you.

4.  Never lose sight of the final destination. Have faith.

5.  Arrive on the other side.