Surviving the Storms of Life

Ivan Aviazovsky "Jesus Walks on Water" 1888

This morning I read the story from Mark’s gospel of Jesus walking on the water:

Mark 6:45-51

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into

the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida,

while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them,

He went up on a mountainside to pray.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle

of the lake, and He was alone on land.

He saw the disciples straining at the oars,

because the wind was against them.

Shortly before dawn He went out to them,

walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them,

but when they saw Him walking on the lake,

they thought He was a ghost. They cried out,

because they all saw Him and were terrified.

Immediately He spoke to them and said,

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind

died down. They were completely amazed.

What I found interesting about this version was the fact that Jesus saw the disciples struggling in the lake, and then went to them. Even though He was far off and on land, He could see them, and the first thing He did was go to them.

He did not stop the storm from where He was on the shore, which He no doubt could have done. In fact, He didn’t seem to be intending to calm the storm at all; Mark tells us, “He was about to pass by them.”

What He did was this: He went to be WITH them.

And when they cried out to Him, he answered them and calmed the storm so quickly that they were amazed.

For us, His disciples today, this lets us know: Even when we feel God is far away and storms are crashing around us, He is right there. All we have to do is call out to Him.

Psalm 139:7-12

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

The Spiritual Pantry

I tend to be a stockpiler.

When I go to the grocery store I buy too much food. Even when I already have enough at home, I find it hard to resist buying a few more cans of Chef Boyardee, just in case.

Especially if it’s on sale! But that‘s another story…

Seeing those stores of food all lined up in the pantry gives me a feeling of security.

This isn’t a bad thing, when you’re talking about canned goods. After all, they say you should be prepared in case of an emergency, right? And you can never have too much Chef Boyardee…

But the problem comes in when I try to apply my stockpiling needs to my spiritual life. I want God to give me a stockpile of spiritual resources as well, enough so that I can line it all up in the pantry of my soul, so to speak, and feel secure that all my spiritual needs will continue to be met. I’d like to have enough reassurance, encouragement, serenity and peace to last me for years.

But it doesn’t work that way. He doesn’t give you tomorrow’s Chef Boyardee today, if you know what I mean.

I’m reminded of the story of the Israelites in the desert found in Exodus 16. When God provided them manna to eat, He only gave them enough for one day at a time. If they tried to save it until the next day, it would go bad.

God was trying to teach them to trust Him, to rely on His grace to supply all their needs. He is teaching us the same thing, in a spiritual sense.

I have to learn to trust Him to give me what I need to face each day, and not try to look for tomorrow’s help today.

Does anyone remember the old Doritos commercial? It said, “Crunch all you want; we’ll make more.”

In the same way, God has an unlimited supply of all that I need. But he’s not giving it to me to store in my spiritual pantry. He wants me to rely on Him daily to supply my needs.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Because of the LORD’s great love

we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.

above image from chefboyardee.com