Crushing Waves

Do you ever feel like your life resembles trying to swim under this wave? Just the sheer magnitude and power of the water is enough to make you lose your breath- let alone the current it has to tumble you under its weight.

There have been times in my faith where I felt like a beginning surfer trying to navigate the surf off the coast of Australia... Unprepared, weak, insignificant, and used to a sense of failure when it comes to big waves. The pull and undertow of habits and compulsions seem to draw me in- ready to destroy the peace and promise I know is mine in Christ...but sometimes seems like an illusive dream.

In the fourth chapter of Mark an amazing story about waves takes place. Jesus is in a boat with His disciples, asleep- when the weather takes a drastic change. Fierce gale winds are tossing the boat around, and the waves are coming in over the side of the boat...so much so that the bible says the boat is filling up!

In the midst of this mini-Titanic Jesus is asleep in the front of the boat. This is symbolic on so many levels. The disciples are in a full panic- standing over the sleeping Savior while wringing their hands in worry and despair. Finally they wake Him up with a comment that is passive,aggressive, and downright angry... "Teacher, don't you care that we are perishing?" Jesus looks around at the waves, possibly yawns, and says "Hush, be still." The Bible says that the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. Seriously...

I love what Jesus says to the disciples (and to us) next. He says "Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?" Goodness knows that when waves are crashing around us the last thing we typically feel is filled with faith- yet Jesus says "Don't be timid- you don't have to be afraid!"

Truthfully, the reason we don't have to be afraid has nothing to do with the capacity of our faith. It has everything to do with the fact that Jesus is on your boat ...and He isn't afraid. That's where I put my faith. Not in the craftsmanship of the boat maker, not in the weather patterns of the sea, and certainly not in my ability to surf the currents...it's in His ability to stop the crashing waves of my life with one word, or to be my personal lifeguard when the undertow is too strong.

Blessings!
Gari