"Jesus said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith and confidence [in Me]?" v40 Mark 4:35-41 Amplified Study Bible
After a busy ministry day, Jesus suggested they go over the other side of the Sea of Galilee. As can often happen in this region, a storm broke out and the waves became very troublesome. They feared they would sink and were dismayed to see that Jesus was asleep in the stern. After challenging Jesus, practically saying that He didn't care that they were in peril, Jesus stood up and stilled the water and peace was restored.
Now, the disciples had been with Jesus for some time, witnessing many miracles. One would have thought they felt secure with Him. This resulted in Jesus rebuking them because of their lack of faith and trust in Him to take care of them. Jesus had been very much at peace as He gently snoozed on a cushion. He was very content and this was the way he had been teaching His disciples to be, as well. They appeared to grasp hold of this concept and then, at the first sign of fear, panicked.
Let us be honest, we can all be this way. We confess our trust in Him and tell who we may about His faithfulness and then, when a storm comes our way, we can be a bundle of nerves. 'How are we going to pay this bill', we say when an unexpected envelope drops on our mat. 'I've not allowed for this, we'll be skint.' And then, what about when the doctor rings and says he wants to see us to discuss an abnormality? Panic sets in and we begin to believe the worst.
Have we forgotten that, when we gave our hearts to Jesus, He told us not to worry, 'But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness {His way of doing and being right - the attitude and character of God}, and all these things will be given to you also.' Matthew 6:33 Amplified. Jesus expects us to put Him in the driving seat of our life. This means being people of faith, not fear, which is the total opposite.
When a crisis comes along, the first thing we should do, is call on Jesus. That is how He wants it to be. I remember Pastor Ray McCauley preaching that the church in South Africa had received a huge bill. On looking at the amount of the bill, he said to Jesus, 'Jesus, we can't pay this, it is your problem, not mine. I'm going home' And he did and God honoured him and the debt was paid.
You may feel this is quite rude and alien to how you would speak to Jesus. However, this worked for Pastor Ray and he believed that God wants us to be this way with Him. It is called, exercising our faith, not fear.
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
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