Turning from fear in the storms

Luke 8:22-25

I’ve often shared that much of my life was filled with the fear factor, fear of not being liked, fear of failing in school and later in marriage, being a husband, dad, and also in my business life.  As I have matured, it has become very clear that fear and faith cannot live in the same mind fear will always be in control.  Many have written about fear, so let me share a couple of quotes: “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” (H. P. Lovecaft) Gandhi said,  “The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but it is fear.” 

Doctor Luke in sharing this story with us gave us examples of how fear can control us, but also how fear can drive one to awaken or drive us to Jesus. “One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”  (Luke 8:22-25 ESV)

As a follower of Jesus we all want to get into the boat and it’s cool to be part of the ones that hear Jesus say let’s go to the other side of the lake, but few of us enjoy being on the lake in the boat when the storms, the winds, and the water begins to fill our hope of getting alive to the other side.  You may be person of great faith, but I’ve always been the type of person who has a hard time seeing Jesus when the wind is tossing my little boat and the waters are sure to take me to the deepest part of despair.  So I can easily put myself in the boat with those disciples, and the real question is Jesus how can you be sleeping, I sure hope you will awake, I sure hope you care? 

And in my time of storms, I’ve discovered Jesus cares, He can calm the storm but He is waiting for me to turn from fear and look to Him.  And He is asking the same question today, as when you pushed out in calm waters, “Where is your faith?”

Faith quotes: “Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the misty future.  It's simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.” - Joni Erickson Tada

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice