Why are you so afraid? (Mark 4:35-41)

Mark 4:35-41   35 On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."  36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.  37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.  38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"  39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.  40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"  41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" 


Fear can be an issue for me.  As a teen, a girl from my church who I had grown up with was raped, murdered and her body was hidden in a remote area.  She was with her boyfriend at the time.  He too was murdered.  It was several months before their bodies were discovered and several years before the murderer was identified, tried, and convicted.  These horrible events left a mark on my life.  It was a realization that God didn't intervene to stop something unspeakable from happening to these innocent teenagers.  I could never return to the age of innocence that believed nothing bad could ever happen to me because God was on my side.

Until then, I had believed God would protect me from all harm.  I thought that believing in God meant good things could be expected in my life.  After all, no one teaches a child that God allows bad things to happen to good people.  And honestly, my life has been blessed beyond even my own expectations.  But in the back of my mind... there is always a nagging fear that God might one day allow some horrible tragedy to befall me or the ones that I love.  And often when things - even benign things -  begin to go awry, I start to panic waiting for the other shoe to drop.

So when Jesus' friends are overcome with fear of the waves sinking the boat, I sympathize.  They are anticipating that things are only going to get worse.  And when Jesus' answer is "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"  it seems callous to me at first.  Doesn't he understand that they can't control the waves - that they don't want to die - that they are nothing without him?  And he is sleeping when they are scared to death?

But then I start to think about what faith is really all about.  Jesus informs his followers at every turn that following him is not for sissies.  He doesn't promise a bed of roses, but persecution, hardship, and trials.  He isn't promising a life free of hardship - he is saying life is going to be rough.  And yet, he calls us to have faith anyway.  Faith that he is in control even when the worst happens.

The night before Jesus dies on the cross, he asks God to stop what is going to happen - if there is any other way.  And God says no.  So Jesus demonstrates to us what faith is all about.  Knowing he will be tortured and hung on a cross, he goes forward in faith anyway trusting God that his pain is necessary.  "Thy will, not my will be done."  This is faith.  That God wins in the end.  That there is purpose in our pain.  That God is with us even in the darkest of times.

Why was I afraid?  Because I was following Jesus thinking it would mean success in all of my endeavors.  I ignored his warnings that although he would go with me, there would be trouble.  Faith means I understand the implications and follow Jesus - the one who the wind and sea obey - anyway.


*****
The other gospels weigh in...

Matthew 8:23-27   23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.  24 A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.  25 And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"  26 And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm.  27 They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

Luke 8:22-25   22 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 put out,  23 and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger.  24 They went to him and woke him up, shouting, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm.  25 He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?"