by Janice Gentles-Jones
The challenge of choosing faith over fear is one we’re presented with each day, especially living during a pandemic. We often lean towards fear rather than faith, when our life is on the line. But Jesus has two questions for us to consider. “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Sometimes we may question whether Jesus really cares about what’s happening to us and around us. We’re not alone in this line of thinking as Jesus’s disciples once asked, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Let me tell you the story behind this question and what lessons we can learn from it. The story begins in Mark 4:35.
Picture this. In the first scene we see the disciples and Jesus leaving the crowd for the evening and heading by boat towards their next location (verse 35). They have been with Jesus for a while listening to Him teach and watching Him perform miracles.
Next, we’re presented with two contrasting scenes, one of calm and the other of fear. As they’re traveling, “a fierce gale of wind and waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up” (verse 37). The phrase ‘already filling up’, gives us a visual of this ongoing, rising action.
While this is happening, in the back of the boat, we learn that Jesus is asleep on a cushion (verse 38). Of course, the disciples are wondering how can Jesus sleep at a time like this? Doesn’t He know if the boat keeps filling up, it will sink? Doesn’t He know we may drown in the wild sea? Well, we can certainly imagine these questions went through their minds as they soon cried out, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (verse 38).
Now here’s the most wonderous part, Jesus stands, awakened by the disciples, not the wind and the waves, and rebukes the wind and says to the sea, “Hush, be still” (verse 39). Amazingly, the wind died down and the sea became perfectly calm (verse 39). What an awe-filled moment this must have been, especially after witnessing what went on just moments before. The disciples, “Became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (verse 41). That is the first of the questions asked that evening.
Let’s consider what we’ve gathered so far from this story:
• Panic and fear can deceive you into thinking that Jesus doesn’t care about your circumstances.
• Jesus speaks to the wind, waves and sea and they obey His command.
• The disciples were afraid when they realized Jesus’ authority over these elements.
Knowing their reaction, after the calm, Jesus breaks the silence with these two questions to His disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (verse 40).
There are strong implications in both questions. The first question “Why are you afraid?” implies that there was no reason to be afraid. Jesus was right there with them in the storm, so why were they afraid?
The second question, “Do you still have no faith?” implies that their faith in Jesus should have been solidified already. At least Jesus thought so given the question.
There are a few lessons we can take way from this story:
• Lack of faith can lead to fear and panic during the storms in our life.
• Faith is expected because we know who Jesus is and that He cares for us.
• All of creation is under Jesus’ authority.
• Jesus’ authority extends far beyond our imagination, and this gives us even more reason to trust and have faith in Him.
No matter what storms we encounter in this earthly life, let us pray for faith over fear. Then we can boldly trust in God’s authority to calm the storms and say, “I am not afraid. I still have faith!”.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth,
Your authority over all of creation has been made known to us and we thank you for this understanding. We pray that our faith remains steadfast, with the help of the Holy Spirit, during the storms of life. Just as the wind and waves obey Your will, we graciously ask that you renew our heart and mind so that we may do the same. Calm our fears as you did the seas and guard our heart and mind in Christ Jesus, Amen.