journey onWord with us

You’ve been there. Life has been hectic, but you sense a bit of relief. You have plans to get away for a day, or maybe longer just to unwind and refuel your emotional tank. And then it happens. An interruption delays your plans, or people who you feel obligated to help need you now. You feel guilty about the emotions that erupt in your spirit. But what’s your choice; help those you love fix the immediate problem, or ignore it all and just go on your personal retreat? I know what you would do! During the last week, I have read and reflected on the feeding of the five thousand. This incredible miracle has grabbed the attention of young and old alike, but to the disciples it could be classified as one of those interruptions.

From my study, it seems that the events leading up to the miraculous feeding were intense. John the Baptist had died, and the apostles were giving Christ a report of what they had been doing. So many people were going and coming that they could not even eat, so Christ had a solution. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”(Mark 6:31b). Can you relate? They went by boat to a solitary place. Upon landing, they are confronted with a large crowd. If I was traveling with Christ, my reaction probably would have been, “this is not my idea of rest”. However the response of Christ is very instructive, and not just because the five thousand were fed.

Can you agree with me that Christ would have known there would be a large crowd surrounding them when the boat landed? After all, He is God. It is also interesting to look at the response that He had to the crowd. Putting the Matthew and Mark accounts together, we learn that He had compassion on them and began teaching and healing. I am convinced that Christ and His disciples needed the break, but He chose a greater good. I really want to have the mind of Christ (and I am sure you do too), but compassion may not have been my first reaction upon encountering the crowd. I wonder how the disciples felt. We do know that late in the day they wanted to send the crowd away.

Was Jesus teaching His disciples a lesson on looking at the needs of others, even when we don’t feel like it? Again, it is obvious to me that He knew the crowds would be confronting them. Did Christ care that His disciples needed rest? Of course! Was He modeling an attitude that all Christ followers should seek to exhibit? I think so! Can we accept that when Christ interrupts our plans for rest, He knows best? Absolutely!

It is easy to just reflect on the miraculous feeding. But the heart of Christ was on more than just feeding the people. They had spiritual needs, and He had compassion. However, in the process of Christ’s compassion and ministry, His disciples had their quiet place invaded and their rest interrupted. There will be times for all of us when our emotions cry out for a break. But if our Lord chooses to interrupt our plans, He does so for a purpose. Could it be that someone in your world needs your love and compassion more than you need your well-intentioned emotional rest? If so, trust your Father’s design, and don’t worry … rest will come.

It was a lazy Saturday morning, and I decided to interrupt it briefly with a bit of yard work.  As I pushed the spreader filled with fertilizer out to the front yard,  I saw a young girl standing on the sidewalk several houses down from us.  She appeared panicked, turning at once towards me and then back to her house and then repeated the process several more times.  A couple of seconds later, I began to fill in the blanks of the story behind her demeanor.  A medium-sized Alaskan husky came bounding toward our house, jumping in and out of the front beds of the four neighbors that separated us.  Stopping for a minute to sniff around, and then darting in and out, away from the young girl as she began to chase after it.  She called out in a nervous voice, but her dog never even once looked back.

For the purposes of full disclosure, I suffer from a mild fear of dogs.  I think it sources from childhood and the “killer” dog that lived down the street from us.  I could never corroborate the stories, but this dog was rumored to have gotten loose several times and eaten children whole.  Neighborhood urban legend, I think not!  To be more specific, my fear is really of loose dogs running up to me, and this girl’s dog was heading my way at a full sprint.  I froze, and tried at the same time to maintain some sense of “I am an adult” in front of the approaching young girl.

She continued to call out her dog’s name (which I honestly cannot remember because of the crippling fear), and kept a safe distance.  This ratcheted my fear, since I had quickly concluded that there must be some reason this girl was not in a full sprint after her dog.  The dog passed me, circled a bit, and then darted away, never getting very close.  The young girl stopped near me and nearly began to cry.  In the amount of time it took me to ask her name, her dog had taken off again on a full sprint, reached the end of our block three houses down, turned the corner and disappeared.  It happened that fast.

I tried to reassure the young girl that her dog knew where she lived, and would surely be back soon.  The young girl was not convinced, and explained that her dog was a runaway dog, and that her dog really didn’t know her home because they had not lived there long.  At this point, I looked back toward her house and realized that it is the home that constantly turns over with new renters.  The one with the white covered trailer parked in the drive … I see her reason to be panicked.

In addition to the genuine heart that I had for the young girl and her sadness, I found another motivation in my attempt to reassure her.  It was not so obvious at the time, but it’s as plain as day now.  In reassuring the young girl, I was trying to convince myself that it was OK not to go chasing after her dog.  It was alright, she would come home on her own.

The young girl’s response was a curve ball in an otherwise perfect scenario.  That scenario?  I comfort the young girl when she needs a kind and reassuring word, her dog returns home unharmed and jumps into her arms, cut to commercial.  But instead, the young girl continued to look at me.  Maybe wondering if I had anything else better to say, or wondering when exactly I was going to offer to go looking for her dog.  I asked if her parents knew the dog had gotten loose, and she said they did.  She gave me one last sad look, and then turned and walked back home.  In that last look, I saw a young girl convinced that her dog was never coming back.

I turned initially to walk back and start fertilizing, and then stopped.  I decided in that moment that I needed to work past my fears and respond to this little girl’s need.  Having no plan as to what I would do if I found her, I began walking.  I stopped at the corner and looked … no sight of her.  I kept walking, not knowing how far I would go in search of this dog.  About halfway to the next block, I saw the dog dart from behind a tree.  I began to walk towards her, called for her, and she stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at me.  I called out again, “c’mon girl, let’s go home.”  She began to sprint towards me, and then stopped cold.  I repeated, and she continued in my direction again.  She sprinted past me to the corner.  It looked for a minute that she was going to continue straight, and not make a left and return home.  But just out into the crosswalk she took a hard left and continued sprinting.  She ran straight home, bounded into the mom’s arms, and then directly over to the girl.  I guess we can go to that commercial now.

I don’t share this story for the purpose of creating a Hallmark Hall of Fame moment.  And certainly not to solicit an “Awww, Mark is so kind.  Look how he helped reunite that girl and her dog!”  I share this story because it’s a perfect illustration of how poorly I imitate Jesus.

God blessed me with an amazing reminder this morning, of just how poor and inadequate a shepherd I am, and how perfect a shepherd his Son is.  I am so thankful that Jesus never hesitated on his way to the cross.   Never stopped at a reassuring word in place of a sacrificial act.  Never allows fear to deter him for even a single breath in pursuing me, and other lost sheep like me.

I am eternally thankful … to the young girl, her dog, and the Good Shepherd.

My wife and I were talking this morning about all the life circumstances that are confronting us. Nothing bad, just a lot! When we are not careful it is easy to let the load become a burden and start worrying. While doing some reading this week, I was reminded that worry is wrong, and also of what a great friend taught me about it. She passed away in 2007 with a deep faith and was ready to meet her Lord. She was firm with me on the passage of Scripture to be read at her service. Her request was not unusual, but the passage was. It was her desire for those at her service to hear the most familiar passage in the Bible on worry. I pondered why that would be her choice, and admittedly I was a bit confused. Her desired passage has great value for all who feel the weight of heavy burdens, and was a wise choice at her celebration service.

It is now Thursday. Have you worried yet this week?  Do you notice that each week tends to give you something new to be burdened with? You may have financial concerns, family struggles, etc… Frankly, there will always be plenty to worry about. None of us will be exempt from the circumstances of life that try to steal our joy and occupy our minds. God already knows what next week’s circumstances will be. And He is not shy about giving us counsel on worry. His opinion for all Christ followers is this: don’t do it! Is it possible to live out God’s design? Yes, but can it really happen for you?

Worry can be conquered (even for you), but most people don’t live like they believe it. It is seemingly easier to carry our burdens than to release them to our all-sufficient Lord. His strong words on worry in Matthew chapter six are the words my friend wanted me to read. You have probably read them yourself, or at least heard them read. To help you gain fresh perspective on what God wants for you, below you will find part of this pertinent passage taken from the Message.

Matthew 6:30-34 (MSG)
If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-most of which are never seen-don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Even when it seems that our world is falling apart around us, the principles in the above passage give us hope. It is not our role to figure out how God will do His best for us, but to believe that He will. I am convinced that if we don’t steep ourselves in God-reality, God-initiatives and God’s provisions, we will struggle to overcome those issues that steal our joy and occupy our minds. But today is a new day, God’s Word is true and we can live life His way.

Could it be that my friend was not giving me an unusual request, but great counsel? She was finishing her earthly journey, had raised three daughters that loved God and married Christ followers. Maybe she wanted all who would gather and celebrate her life to realize that all the stuff that weighs us down is not what really matters. While I may still have questions as to why my friend had me read a passage on worry at her memorial service, the impact of her request endures.  And I believe, it has special significance in all our lives for each new day.  “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. “

All of us have some rules religion issues. If you and I would take the time to reflect back over our church experiences, we would probably agree that we were shaped by some issues that are non-essential. And to this very day, the rules of our past often inhibit the joy of our present. I grew up in the south, and received a strong dose of rules religion. Good Christians in my world didn’t go to movies or dance. Spiritual guys would never grow hair over their ears, and girls shouldn’t wear shorts or pants. At church activities guys and girls would swim separately (we called it mixed bathing). When you stop laughing at my heritage, think for a moment about yours. Did the religion rules of your past focus on externals or issues of the heart?

Our Christian culture today is still wrought with Pharisee-ism (rules religion). I was once at a church party where an ice breaker game was played. One of the questions was, “have you had your quiet time (Bible reading) fourteen days in a row?” The obvious connotation was that if you had not, shame on you (I failed). If you are older, you may struggle with the church music of the younger generation, question the spirituality of anyone with a tattoo, and God forbid that anyone should sit in your seat during a church service. If you are younger, all the perceived rules of your parents make church a bit boring and non relevant. But if you would think about it, a new standard for rules religion is being established. My point is that since the days that Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees, the tendency is for all of us to look on externals and condemn those who are different from us.

On one particular Sunday, Jesus was walking through some grain fields with the disciples. Since the disciples were hungry, they started pulling off the heads of grain and having a bite to eat. But it was Sunday, and the Pharisees let Jesus know about it. Matthew gives the account…

Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: “Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!”   Jesus said, “Really? Didn’t you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry, how they entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? And didn’t you ever read in God’s Law that priests carrying out their Temple duties break Sabbath rules all the time and it’s not held against them?    There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—’I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’—you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”
Matthew 12:2-8 (MSG)

Jesus let them know His feelings in no uncertain terms. In our 21^st century world, you would be hard pressed to find anyone offended by the above scene. But as I stated before, we all have our own brands of Pharisee-ism, and focusing on rules religion is still unhealthy and offensive to our Lord. A bigger issue for all of us is this – are we growing more in love with God, and with others?  If so, we are not focusing on the externals that annoy us, but real issues such as love and grace that bind us together. Look at the words of Christ from the above passage; I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual. Shouldn’t we be men and women of flexible hearts?

You and I will always have some preferences about our faith and church experience. We should never waiver on the real essential – salvation through Christ alone. But on all those other issues that cause us to look at others with a jaundice eye, are they really important? Age has taught me that focusing on external preferences is counter-productive. I need to live with a flexible heart towards others, caring about their needs more than my particular opinions. Now, that doesn’t mean I’ll be getting a tattoo any time soon, but it should mean that I’ll show love to everyone, everywhere all the time. How about you? Live with a flexible heart, and please the Father.

My husband asked me to write this blog post three weeks ago.  And for three weeks I have been fretting, thinking, and searching for enlightenment so that my attempt at this blog entry would at least be half of the encouragement that Mike’s and Mark’s are to read.  I am here to tell you…”I got nothin’!”  It’s been a tough three weeks.  I am tired.  I am not sleeping well, and my diet, well we are not even going to go there!  So in an act of desperation I called my husband and basically said, “I got nothin’.”  And in his wisdom he simply said, “Then write about the nothin’.”

So here goes … an 18 month old who needed a liver transplant, a friend of a friend who heard those dreaded words, “there’s nothing else we can do,” an upset client,  a huge disappointment for a family member … Surely you can relate to that feeling of being on empty that I am currently experiencing.  I am reading Scripture.  I am praying (more than normal), yet I am uninspired, fatigued, and defeated.  So where do I go to get better?  The doctor?  The psychiatrist (watch it!)?  I know what I know, and I know to go back to the Word.  I go to one of my all time favorite passages:

Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.And the God of peacewill be with you.

There is so much here, but allow me to focus on two things.  Look at the end of verse 5 … The Lord is near.  I am pretty sure I have forgotten that fact over the last three weeks.  He is near, always.  And then look at verses 8 through 9 … think on the good things.  The 18 month old child who received a liver transplant and is doing remarkably well.  The man with “no hope” here on earth, but the promise of being with Christ, soon.  A mended relationship with that client.  And a family member who is now more determined than ever!  Excellent, praiseworthy things!  And then the kicker in verse 9 … put it into practice.  Practice a change in my thinking, my outlook, (my diet) … and I will find peace in my daily walk. 

A familiar passage … a simple application … for every one of us.

I guess I did have somethin’ after all!

All that surrounds us affects us. None of us would like to admit the extent to which external circumstances dominate our internal thought patterns. Whether people or events, something on the outside is always clamoring for your attention. Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius gave us a humorous, yet at the same time, resonant insight centuries ago: I am going to be meeting people today who talk too much—people who are selfish, egotistical, ungrateful. But I won’t be surprised or disturbed for I can’t imagine a world without such people.

Nor should we! Frustrating people and emotional circumstances will always surround us, but should never dominate us. Under our own power, those words are easier said than done.  But in Christ, we can live inside out.

In my personal reading, I have been reminded of a devotional book written early in the last century. The book was written by James Allen and is entitled, As a Man Thinketh.  The inspiration for the title and the text was taken directly from Proverbs 23:7(a): For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. It resonated with me that so much of how we view life is driven by the controlling influences of our mind. We will always be confronted with positive and negative circumstances, but they should never control us internally. However, since everyone has daily battles within, it is important to be clear that God understands our struggle and gives guidance. We have His Spirit to direct us, His Word to teach us, and we have been given freedom to communicate with Him in Christ. Availing ourselves of what God has provided can change our view of life from the inside out, by the transforming of our minds.

So where are your thoughts, and how are they controlling your days and weeks? James Allen said: “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts will take you“. Frankly speaking, most of us have some ingrained habits of the mind that cloud our perspective. With the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, change can come. It is imperative that our lives go from being dominated by all that surrounds us to being directed by His Spirit. Any Christ follower can live with the mind of Christ. Whether our weeks (and people) are great or incredibly draining should never be the issue. The real issue should be: is my mind renewed, and are my thoughts in line with God’s perspective.

If you know Christ and are struggling from the outside in, determine to reverse that order today (to living inside out). You may have found that it is easier to be more frustrated than patient, and more overwhelmed than at peace. Having the mind of Christ takes discipline, but the results are worth it. Let this principle guide you … When I allow my life to be controlled by His Spirit, I can handle all that surrounds me in a much better way. For an on-looking world to ever see our faith working, we must think right, because how we think determines how we live.

At times I struggle to help my oldest son with his Math homework.  Certain things are crystal clear to me, and others confound me to the degree that I wonder how I ever passed 8^th grade Math.  To determine the value of “x” in an “x” only equation could be done with both calculators tied behind my back, but add “y” and you might as well fire up the Macbook, because YouTube is in our future. 

I came across multiple factors in this week’s focus on the parallel accounts of Jesus healing a woman and a young girl.  One was plain as the nose on my face, but the other was not quite as obvious.  As I read and quietly considered each of the accounts, however, I wondered how I had ever missed it.  I am very familiar with the individual accounts of each healing.  I’ve had the opportunity to read them many times.  Reading the part where Jesus palpably feels the power leave Him when the woman touches the hem of His robe always intrigues me.  I completely get how that would happen, but I would love to experience something similar just once.  I have worked with electricity and experienced the awkward tingle or jolt of current that is the guaranteed result of even minor carelessness.  Did it feel something like that?  Whatever the feeling, both Mark and Luke’s accounts reference Jesus stopping and addressing the crowd immediately after it happened.  So it would suggest that Jesus experienced something truly physical.

In the story of the young girl, I resonate with the one who suggests to Jairus that he not continue bothering Jesus after learning that his daughter had died.  Jairus went to Jesus as the only hope for his critically ill daughter and pleaded with Him to heal her.  Did he know in his heart that Jesus could heal her?  Was this the equivalent rolling temple dice?  Or maybe he had been a Thomas-like witness of other healings?  Whatever the motivation, he went to Jesus in the knowledge that his daughter was still alive.  But what now, when he hears news of his daughter’s death?  The Bible doesn’t speak of his response, but I wouldn’t be in a place to judge if his heart agreed with the suggestion to release Jesus of the burden.  I know how fragile my emotions are when hope seems lost.

As I quietly considered both stories and the gospel writers’ accounts, my mind began to see past my previous curiosities and resonance to another factor that I had not fully considered.  Where you might be tempted to say that this is an “x” only equation, with the “x” being Jesus’ power to heal, it is not nearly that simple.  To see this other factor more clearly, let’s consider Jesus’ work in His hometown in Mark 6:5. 

“And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them…”

Does Jesus have the power to heal? Yes!  Is belief a factor?  Mark 6:5a says, “Yes!”  Is Jesus’ power to heal limited by unbelief?  Mark 6:5b says, “No!”

“…except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.”

Life is not an equation.  Faith is not an equation.  Jesus’ healing is not an equation.  If it was, some people you know (perhaps even you) would have been healed by now.  Understanding those truths, the Bible clearly states that belief is a factor in healing.  It was belief that caused a woman who had “…suffered a great deal from many doctors” (Mark 5:26a NLT) to fall to her knees and reach out to touch the robe of Jesus.  It was belief that drove a leader of the synagogue to his knees to plead with Jesus to “…Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” (Mark 5:23b NLT)  It was belief that fueled his steps with Jesus all the way home even after the news of his daughter’s death.  And it was unbelief that was the singular factor that limited the miracles Jesus could do in his own hometown.

Whether you or someone you know is in need, believe that Jesus can heal.  Look no further than our readings this week to know that He has, and He does. 

If there is a need for healing, reach out to us at journeyonwordwithus@gmail.com.  We would love to come alongside you in prayer.  If there is a need to know the Jesus who heals, reach out to us.  We would love to come alongside you and share the good news of Jesus.  Believe today!

Take a quick review of your life. It has been shaped with twists and turns that I am sure you could have never imagined. Looking back at my life reminds me of how uncertain all of my certain plans really were. I wanted to go to one college and ended up at another. In my mind I felt that I had found the one to marry, only to realize there was a far better God-ordained partner for my life. My working career has been filled with twists and turns that I would never have mapped out.  Oswald Chambers reminded me of this thought with his words in My Utmost For His Highest. He said, the nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. 

Most of us, at least from a human perspective, would probably like God to give us a prescribed road map and then let us simply travel it. And of course we would like the twists and turns to be easily navigated and the difficulties minor. However, God’s design is to build our faith, and that would never happen if all of life was certain. In a conversation with my brother the other night, I detected that he was headed in a new uncertain direction. It was not one that he would plan on his own. The natural question is why would God choose this?  I don’t have the answer for that question, but I do know that for my brother and you and me, we can be certain in our uncertainty.

Think of how Abraham must have felt. God sent him from home without explaining to him where he was headed. He is old when he finds out that God is going to provide a child. God eventually gives Abraham and Sarah the promised son, and then Abraham is asked to sacrifice Isaac. Talk about being certain in his uncertainty! But in my opinion Abraham’s uncertainty was laced with certainty. As they headed toward the sacrifice, Abraham told his servants, stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you. Based on Scripture, we know that Abraham reasoned that God could raise Isaac from the dead. Through all his uncertain situations, the pattern of Abraham’s life was a certain faith in an unchanging God.

It would probably be a safe assumption that you have at least one situation confronting you today with a measure of uncertainty. I know I do! It would also be safe to assume that you are certain of God’s power and care. Our struggle comes when the uncertainties dominate our minds and hearts. At that point our certain faith in our Sovereign God is pushed aside. Oswald Chambers gives better counsel than I could with his words, leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in—but you can be certain that He will come.  

Uncertainty is a fact of life. You and I simply don’t know where the Father will take us. But we can be certain that His sufficient grace will guide us. Twenty five years ago, I would have never imagined my path today.  I had it all mapped out. But with all the changes, twists and turns, I am certain that God knew His path for me. Looking back at your journey would probably remind you of a myriad of obstacles that you were uncertain about. But He knew the path you would take. . . and the path you will take!

I am certain of it!

Man Up would be the term used today for my apparent weakness on the high seas. It was over twenty-five years ago when I went deep-sea fishing with a group of work associates and friends. Our group consisted of all men, most of whom loved fishing (not me). We set out from Key West on the mildest of days. The waves were no more than one foot high. Easy day for a rookie, you might say. Well not for me; I threw up (sorry), and felt a bit silly in front of my friends. Can you imagine me on a boat with real waves? Forget man up; I would be looking to bail out.

Storms on the Sea of Galilee are known to be sudden and even violent. On the occasion that Jesus led the disciples across the lake and into a storm, it wasn’t just a one foot wave kind of sea. In my studies, it was noted that the storm was so severe that it took on the properties of a hurricane. So if we are to get the setting correct, Christ leads them out into the water knowing that a storm is coming … and goes to sleep. His disciples, who I perceive would have been experienced on the water, are left to navigate a violent storm. Fearing for their lives, they confront the Savior with the desperate circumstances (not a one foot sea). Jesus rebukes the wind and the raging waves, and then rebukes his disciples for their lack of faith.

This week I have looked at the storm with human logic (although not right), and pondered what Christ was doing with His disciples, and correspondingly how we should look at storms. My logic said, “So He takes the disciples into a violent storm where they fear drowning, and then rebukes them for a lack of faith. Why?”  How would I (you) have responded?  Too often, just like the disciples. With my personality, I can imagine walking into the place where Jesus was sleeping and saying, “excuse me Jesus, but we’ve got an ISSUE.” But wait a minute, I have lived through my share of storms (and so have you), and I know better than to place my human logic above faith in the Creator and Calmer of the high seas.

So what was Jesus trying to convey to His disciples, and what can you and I learn for our storms, even hurricane-force ones? There is much to glean from the parallel passages on the event, but for me one primary thought has come to the forefront. My Lord is absolutely in control. He knew where He was taking them, and He knows where He is taking you and I. The disciples fear was wrong or Jesus would not have rebuked them. Therefore, you and I must conclude that even in the most difficult of storms there is a safe place of faith. For me, it is a choice of the will to ride the waves with calmness that can only come from God.

Today you may be facing a storm. You want to cry out with human logic like the disciples, “Teacher, don’t you care that we drown?” Of course He cares. And He also knows how to calm your high seas. Your circumstances may still include difficulty, pain and even financial stresses but you can rest in the safe place of faith. There would have been no rebuke of the disciples if they had availed themselves of His available peace. I see too much of the disciples in me, but this week I’ve been reminded again that our storms are under the control of Jesus Christ. Are you facing a storm today? By faith, release it to Him!

Last week, my wife and I met our daughter for a vacation that has become a family tradition. We had lots of fun and my greatest frustration was not being able to direct a golf ball to the desired location fast enough. While we were enjoying family time, I was reminded that life is often hard, and sometimes pain comes without warning. Word came to me that two friends from different states were going through immense pain due to the loss of a wife and grandchild. I care so deeply, but feel helpless (you know the feeling). The bigger question is, “does Jesus care?” Since my reading for this week is attached to a literal storm, I thought it appropriate to look at how Jesus responded when the storm arose.

Our context can be found in Mark 4:35-41. As evening was upon them, Christ gave His disciples an adventure in trusting Him. He leads them across the Sea of Galilee. Quite frankly He was leading them right into a storm, and He knew it! Sometimes storms result from our disobedience. But at other times, the Father’s design for all Christ-followers is to purposefully send us headlong into troubled waters … but never without an Anchor.

Scripture tells us that this was a furious squall.  It was so intense that waves broke over the boat. And the disciples had some serious concerns about drowning. Can you believe that Jesus was sleeping while all that was going on? You and I may not mouth words like those of the disciples, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  But we have all had similar thoughts. They had waves and we have our storms, sometimes devastating ones. It is easy to speak glowingly about having faith, but there are times when the drowning feeling of our circumstances becomes almost unbearable. And at those moments, we just want to know that He cares.

With the words, Quiet! Be still! Christ calmed the wind. The Creator of the Universe was in control of nature. And the Creator of the Universe is not absent when pain and difficulty floods into our lives, often without warning. Often we have questions and wonder “Why?”, especially when the pain is deep. But our Father knows how to pour grace over the pain and give us peace, even when having peace makes no sense. The One who hung the world in space, and His Son on a cross cares deeply about our storms and will not abandon us.

Christ gave a gentle rebuke to the disciples after calming the storm. Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? His rebuke gives us a strong indication that they were not responding with faith to His teaching and miracles. You and I can probably relate to the disciples. They should have had more faith in the moment, and so should we. For all Christ-followers, our eternity is secure and today is wrapped in His care. He may lead us headlong into a storm, but He knows how to calm our sea and give peace to our hearts. By faith we can trust Him for every moment and every circumstance.

I have no idea of the storms you may be facing. Viewing my friend’s pain from a distance caused me to reflect on the literal storm from my reading. When life causes us to feel like we are going to drown, the question “does Jesus care?“ is no longer hypothetical. And the answer is “absolutely He cares!” and will give grace for the moment and peace for the journey. His grace and peace come from above to His children in need. While writing this article, my mind went back to an old hymn written in 1901 by Frank Graeff, Does Jesus Care. Accept the words of the refrain as your hope in any storm.

Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares.