Devotional

Where Is Your Faith?

37And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.
38Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
39And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.
Mark 4:37-39

I love a good storm! One of my favorite things to do is to watch a storm howl the crashing waves of an ocean! Give me thunder and lightening! Nothing better than wind whipping your hair in a thousand different directions at once! I’m sure my story would change if I were out in the middle of the water in a little fishing boat, but standing on the balcony of my hotel, I love it!
The disciples didn’t have too many balconies to stand on. Nope. They were right out there, smack dab in the middle of the storms. They were fishermen and they were well accustomed to battling a sudden storm, but this one was quite intense. Everyone manned their stations as they all tried to bring their vessel safely to shore.
Everyone but Jesus.

Where was Jesus? He was asleep! The waves that terrified the disciples literally rocked the Master to sleep! The howling of the storm became His lullaby and the Creator of Heaven and earth rested His holy head on a pillow and went to sleep! Jesus never did anything half-way, so why would you think He only dozed? Maybe He snored and maybe He even slobbered, but I believe Jesus was out like a light! Do you think He dreamed? Perhaps He dreamt of going back to His Father’s house. Maybe His eyes danced beneath slumbering eyelids as He dreamt of the day He’d reunite you and your baby there. Whatever the case was, He simply didn’t worry about the storm.

As they shook their heads trying to gain focus and wiped the water out of their eyes, someone must have stomped over to Jesus, woke Him up and said “Don’t you care if we perish out here? Save us, Jesus! We’re about to drown! Why don’t you care?”

Are you beginning to feel a connection with these rain-soaked sailors? Crying out to a silent sky, begging God to breathe life into your womb is a terrifying experience. As you stand drenched in the storm of frustration and sorrow, grab the side of the boat and hang on. The Master of the Sea just woke up!

I think it’s very interesting that we don’t know who actually woke Jesus up. All three accounts of this story in Scripture say “they came to Him…” or “they woke Him…” Hey, I don’t blame them! Would you want your name to go down in history as the one who woke up Jesus and told Him that you didn’t think He cared enough to save you? I wonder what “they” thought when they stood at Calvary?

Without argument and without delay, Jesus simply got up, looked out over the howling storm, rebuked the winds and said to the sea: “Peace, be still.” (Mark 4:39 KJV) I would love to have been there! Okay, I wouldn’t necessarily want to be thrown from one end of the craft to the other as the storm raged, but I would love to have been there when the storm abruptly ceased! Can you picture it? The waves that were throwing their boat up in the air like a cat tossing a toy are suddenly as quiet and still as glass! The wind that cut through them like a knife is no more. They push their hair out of their eyes and with mouths hanging open take in the expression on Jesus’ face. The howling of the wind has given way to the sound of men gasping in astonishment as they realize the storm is gone. Jesus looks at them and simply asks them, “Where is your faith?” Rain-soaked friend, I ask you the same. Where is your faith?

Is your faith in the hands of the doctors? In spite of training and technology, there are times when medicine fails. Is your faith in money? Money tends to run out, you know. Is your faith in the relationships you’ve forged with others? Precious though they are, some relationships are strained to the breaking point as they weather the storm of infertility or loss. If your faith is anywhere else besides in the Son of God, your faith will fail you. Even if you have placed your faith in your “religion” it may fall. People are fallible. God and His Word are not.

God is trustworthy and He will never abuse your faith or fall short of what He has promised.