When Fear Meets Faith

Hello, Praying Friend!

I am writing this update the day after Hurricane Milton shook parts of Central Florida apart. Of course, it was barely two weeks since Hurricane Helene hit the “Big Bend” area of Florida and then devastated parts of Georgia, South Carolina, East Tennessee, and North Carolina. Please continue to pray for the many lives these storms have forever changed. (My family and I are just north of Orlando. We had strong winds and rain with Milton, but all in all, there was no damage to our home or much to our area. At the end of this Kneemail, you’ll find links where you can help.)

Silence! Be Still!

In the book of Mark, Chapter 4, there is a powerful story about Jesus in a boat with his disciples. They are attempting to cross a lake to escape the large crowds he had been teaching. It was now evening—The text says, “Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat, on a cushion.” It goes on in verse 37 to tell that a furious storm—what mariners would call a “squall”-came up suddenly. The disciples woke him, saying, “We’re drowning—you don’t care if we drown??” The story continues, “When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly, the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

There’s a lot to love and understand from this scripture. In various translations, the word Jesus uses is translated as “Silence!” or “Quiet!”. You might have read it (or heard it: “Peace!”). In all these translations, the word is followed by an exclamation mark. We should be able to understand this very stressful moment—the disciples were filled with genuine fear, fearing that they were about to drown. Jesus was awoken by panicking guys; his first response was to calm the situation—he was, as it seems in the text, a little miffed.

Thanks to specific Bible translations and well-meaning but incorrect Sunday School teaching, some of us see this situation as Christ calmly getting up from sleeping, as some kind of magician-monk, soft-spoken and mild-mannered, then uttering the word “Peace” to the waves as he magically waves his hand stopping the storm.

I believe it’s more like you, and I understand it would be. A fishing boat tossing about in the waves, with stinky, sleepy fishermen panicking. At the same time, they see their Rabbi, this man they follow—sleeping after a full day of teaching to large crowds, mind you—blissfully asleep at the boat “on a cushion.” They woke him up, scared and angry a bit. And he responded suddenly and swiftly from his slumber — “Silence!” Can’t you just see His robust response after having just been awoken? “Silence! Be still!” Then, rebuking his disciples a tad, he says in verse 40: “And he asked them, “Why were you so fearful? Don’t you even yet have confidence in me?”” Ouch.

How about us? If you’ve been following Christ for a while, do you have confidence in Him yet? If you are like me, I tend to panic too often and want to exclaim, “Hey, Jesus! I’m drowning here. Are you going to do something?” Even before we face challenges, difficulties, or uncertainties, we should follow Jesus for daily comfort and strength, knowing He can bring peace to the turmoil in our hearts amid confusion, chaos, or a crisis.

You and I have something the disciples did not yet have in those harrowing moments on that wave-beaten boat. We have the complete picture—we fully know that the “wind and the seas DO obey him.” Knowing that He is God should give us even more substantial, more resounding, more abiding faith and trust in Him.

Through these terrible storms, Helene and Milton, destruction and death came upon the just and unjust. Suffering servants of Christ, including pastors and parishioners, were caught up in the storms, as were unbelievers and idolaters. But the former—those who follow Jesus—have a peace that passes all rational understanding. That doesn’t mean they aren’t hurt, angry, frustrated, and scared, just like those disciples in the boat. It should mean, however, that during a storm, real or proverbial, or in the aftermath of either, we remind ourselves of His grace and love in the work of those helping us stay upright, clean up, or hold fast through. And our trust in Him would deepen even in despair.

Sharing His Wonder,

 

P.S. There are many ways you can be the hands and feet of Christ during these difficult days of despair for many. Here are a few Christ-centered opportunities to help:

https://flbaptist.org/category/missions/disaster-relief-missions/
https://www.tnbaptist.org
https://ncbaptist.org
https://samaritanspurse.org/