Big storms, Small storms Literal storm - metaphorical storms Medical, Economic, school related or in Relationships, Storms far and near, at home and at work, with co-workers, spouses, friends and family. - Storms
We all go through storms,– and the disciples are in quite the storm -- a storm as they cross the sea of galilee. – The water was coming in over the side of the boat – they were terrified of sinking and dying. Somehow Jesus was asleep through this. In fear the disciples wake Jesus, who promptly shows his authority and calms the sea – the storm goes quite – yet in this Jesus gives them a rebuke
“Why are you terrified?Do you not yet have faith?”
Two questions come forward, One - if Jesus can command the sea, why is there a storm at all? He should have just stopped the storm from happening. Two, why rebuke disciples for coming to him? Does Jesus not want us to come to him in times of trouble?
These are questions also we might have for the storms in our own lives? Why the storm? And when we come to Jesus for help, why not the response we want?
To fully answer the question of “why” answerable when we ask God in heaven, But we can perhaps throw some light on the question, and go deeper.
God is Father, we say it all the time – “our father who art in heaven” – and as today (tomorrow) is Father’s Day, it is apt to thing about what a good father does in relation to his children. – perhaps this can shed light on these questions for why?
Fathers are protectors, providers. – No good father wishes ill on his children, As far as possible they want to protect their children and provide all they can for them. And God is the perfect father, one that no one else can live up to. But protecting and providing has a more challenges side.
A good father wants to provide opportunities their children, want them to grow, get better. As such, in times of challenge, even when they could swarm in to rescue, they sometimes let their children struggle. Not out of neglect or a lack of care, but out of Love.
It is only by the struggle of training that an athlete becomes the skilled at his sport. If the athlete did not do hard boring work, he would not be an athlete. A craftsman masters his craft only have making many mistakes and struggling through hard work. A good father must give their children a chance to struggle in order to grow, whether a high schooler trying to get into a particular college, or a four-year old trying to tie his shoes.
While there are countless possible examples, one simple example is math homework. Almost no one likes doing math homework. To a kid, it is an impossible storm between them and playing with friends. Depending on the math homework, the father may be able to do the homework himself, getting rid of the struggle and terror of math homework. But this is not actually good for the child. This is a case of letting the challenge stay is better. This is not to say that the father abandons his child to do math homework, he is there to help when needed, but lets him struggle, grow, and learn.
But what does this have to do with the storm the disciples are in? or that we may be in?
With idea of father. We can consider the gospel in a new light, in particular those two early questions, if Jesus can command the sea, why is there a storm at all? And why rebuke disciples for coming to him? Does Jesus not want us to come to him in times of trouble?
This incident is towards the beginning of the gospel, the disciples do not fully know who Jesus is. When the disciples wake Jesus up, it is not to ask him to save them, but to complain – “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” This puts Jesus’ rebuke in better light. It is not that the disciples are afraid and are coming for help that is the problem, but they are assuming the worst – they’re dying, and Jesus doesn’t care. That answers the question of why the rebuke, it is that they are not coming in faith, they do not believe that Jesus is in control.
But what of the question of “why allow the storm?” It is not that the storms are good. Storms are no better than math homework. – it is not that Jesus could not prevent the storm, the fact that he calms the storm shows that. – It is not that He does not care, he response and cares for his disciples. It is not that he is away from his disciples, he is in the boat with them.
However, Jesus knew very well of his disciple’s lack of faith. – “Why are you terrified?Do you not yet have faith?” – Allowing the struggle and fear in the storm tested their faith and helped to grow their faith. These clueless disciples – who seem to have little faith – Will go and spread the gospel across the globe – this storm is part of that.
And what about the storms in our life? – whether big or small - literal or metaphorical - It is not that storms are good, -- the technical term is that “they suck” – And it is not that we know the reason for them, at the time of the storm, the disciples did not understand why. – But that storm was important to growth the disciple’s faith, -- and potential the storms in our lives can be as well.
While we may not be able to answer the question of “why” for the storm – or understand the reason for the way God answers our requests, in faith, trusting in God who is in control, there is good to be had in the storm – We can ask about the storms in our life – “how might God help me grow from this?” – just as the disciples grow in faith from that scary storm on the Sea of Galilee.