By: The Very Rev. Robert S. Munday
The first part of our Gospel lesson-the disciples finding themselves in the midst of a sudden storm at sea-brings to mind the experience that is common to all of us: facing things for which we feel unprepared. It could be an exam at school, a challenge at work, trouble in a relationship, the birth of a child, an audit, an illness, a divorce, or, of course, death. All of these may come into our lives-unbeckoned and unforeseen. Sometimes, if we are able, we manage to handle them. But sometimes, like a sudden storm, events can burst upon us with deadly ferocity. It would be safe to assume that when the disciples set out on their “sunset cruise,” they believed that all that would be involved in crossing the lake would be “getting to the other side.” Like the passengers who boarded the Titanic, they had no inkling of what was going to happen. Being veteran fishermen, they were not ignorant, and they would not have set sail at night if they had known there was dangerous weather on the horizon. But, true to life, what the disciples intended to happen wasn’t what did happen-and who among us cannot identify with them in their predicament? Who of us has not set out at some point in our lives “under clear skies” expecting “smooth sailing” only to find ourselves sometime later in the throes of a storm?
So what does our Gospel lesson tell us? Where is its good news? First of all it tells us that following Jesus does not mean a storm-free existence. Jesus does not always save us FROM storms but IN storms. We have no guarantees from God that storms won’t come. But we have his promise that He will be with us when they do. Secondly, and more importantly, the story tells us how to live through the storms to get to the other side. And the wisdom the story provides is not the customary wisdom of the world. Some things in life can be changed by sheer will. In these things we indeed are the “captains of our ships.” We can change a tire. We can change a reservation. We can change jobs. But sometimes when we struggle to change things, nothing happens. Sometimes they even get worse. The more we struggle to change the situation-or to change another person-the more difficult things become. And the difficulty we encounter is like a storm that tears our sails, and breaks our masts, and seems to threaten our very existence. And, if we are true to what we believe, the storm forces us, by God’s grace, to do what the disciples did. “Teacher, do you not care that we are about to drown?” the disciples ask. It is a cry of desperation-a life or death scream for help. But it is a prayer to Jesus to do something, along with their recognition that they can do nothing. “We can’t manage this, Jesus, but you can.” Jesus rebukes the storm and says, “Quiet, be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (vs. 39). A few years ago, I saw a painting by Thomas Kincade, and I bought it and hung it in our living room because it so spoke to my situation at the end of my first year in a new and difficult job. Kincade was inspired to paint this particular painting by Psalm 107:29-31, “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for the people.” These verses from Psalm 107, recounting God’s love for his people, are seen as fulfilled in Jesus who calmed the storm for his disciples-and who desires to calm the storms that we may encounter in our lives. The next thing Jesus does is to turn to the disciples and ask, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
It is easy to pass over these questions and take them as rhetorical-that Jesus is just commenting on their lack of faith. Or we can make the mistake of thinking that Jesus is saying to them, “if you had faith, you could have calmed the storm yourselves.” But that is not what Jesus is saying. We never calm the storms ourselves. Indeed the very purpose of storms in our lives is to teach us our dependence on God. Look at the questions again: “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Faith is the opposite of fear; and fear is the opposite of faith. The apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, let your request me known to God, and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
The purpose of the disciples having faith was not so that they could command the storm themselves, but so that they would not be afraid and to trust in the One who could.