Day 150: Calming our Storms

"Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, 'It is I; do not be afraid.'  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going."  John 6:16-21

This is a story that works quite well as a metaphor for us today.

I can't imagine going out on a boat into the sea when it is dark, in an age with no electricity to produce flashlights or motors.  Yet, that's what these disciples did, and it's apparent that it was dangerous, since the detail of darkness is included.  Even more, the sea was an unexplored world, and it still is today, for the most part.  So, anything could have sprung up in front of them.  How scary!

At the same time, there is so much symbolism in this story.  The hearers of Jesus wanted to take him and proclaim him as king, kind of the way how the Jews did in the past, against God's will, by proclaiming Adonijah as king rather than Solomon, who had been appointed.  So Jesus went away from them because of their misunderstanding, and it even seems that the disciples went out to sea to look for him, continuing in their seemingly selfish ways.  But, as their ways start to become like the sea that begins to rage, Jesus comes and meets them, walking on the water as if it were still.  They were afraid, not recognizing his face or form, as if they'd never seen him before.

That's what Jesus does for us.  Even though we stray from following him, letting our lives get so messed up that waves are about to break our firm ground and drown us, Jesus will come to us and make himself known.  Jesus will remind us what our duties are as he calms the seas for us.

While the followers wanted to have somebody who would end up killing all of their oppressors, someone who would end up stirring up the waters and storms even more than they already were, Jesus came to change their views.  We stray from Jesus when we turn to ways of hate, following the very evil that scares us.  And as things get so terrible around us, Jesus will remind us that love is the way.  Jesus, in his unconditional love and abounding mercy and forgiveness, will calm the storm, turning us from hate and bringing us to firm land, so that we can continue our journey spreading peace and love.

Day 108: Couragious Spirit

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  2 Timothy 1:7

This is a message we have to hold onto at all times.

It's crazy that the word spirit could even be used in a way that incorporates fear or timidity.  It means air.  In many Indo-European languages, the word for spirit or soul comes from the word for wind or air or breath.  It implies motion.  It implies power.  Our spirits are the things that move us in every situation.

It is our fears that quench the spirit.  It is when we start getting on our high horses with our logic that we start to fall apart.  And that's because we start to put barriers on our spirit.  We will start to hide our talents.  We will lower our voices.  We will continue to hide ourselves until we find a place where only our mind can take care of us.  We could become so isolated that everything that we shielded ourselves from is truly distant.  Yet, that would involve us being far away from everything good as well.

Paul probably wrote this letter understanding that his martyrdom was very near.  However, even in that dire situation, he found a way to give encouragement, and it must have been encouragement for himself as well.  Jesus called for all of us to go out into the wild world in order to preach the Good News.  I'm sure you're just like me, observing that this world needs more of the Good News.  We need Jesus.  We need a peace of mind.  We need love.

Our fears only become taxing for us, for they are things that we have to give an effort just to come up with.  When we're afraid of the dark, it only starts to sound ridiculous when we start considering our fear.  In the same way, we need to start evaluating our fears.  Jesus told us to go out, show our talents, bring others to God.  Nowhere did Jesus say to cower in the face of adversity.  In fact, Jesus showed us to do the opposite, first with miracles and casting out of demons and then with going up to the cross.

We have been created with a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.  When we let our spirit lead us, we will find ourselves getting closer and closer to God.

Day 077: Fear

"Behold, the Lord your God is delivering the land to you in our presence; go up and take it as an inheritance, in the manner the Lord God of your fathers spoke to you; do not fear or be afraid."  Deuteronomy 1:21

Imagine that somebody calls you on the phone right now to tell you that your dream job is set up for you: you will do what you love, and you will get paid to do it - no risks.  Would you turn it away?

I find that the story of the Israelites going into the Promised Land is a great example for us to learn from.  God, who delivered them from Egypt and who led them through the desert with a sign of a cloud by day and fire (an entire pillar!) by night, told them that their land of promise, one flowing with abundant resources, one that they would be able to clear for themselves, was prepared and ready for them.  Almighty God told them this.  But they, in response, asked to reconsider everything, to make sure that everything was 'safe' and 'ready' to their arbitrary standards.  They became afraid because they reconsidered every single detail and found things to be afraid of, despite God's promise.  This, obviously, did not end well for them.

However, we face this same sort of situation frequently in our lives.  We can go to church and pray and read the bible, but when it comes time for challenges in our lives, we cower.  We turn away from everything we have been taught and have seen and run away to our own detriment.

God used Mosaic Law to teach the people of Israel how to follow God.  Then, when the time was appropriate, God sent Jesus to free us from the tutelage of the Law so that we could walk in faith towards him without any reservations.  Jesus made it so much simpler for us.  But, we continue to walk away, saying it's too scary to follow, too risky to become a disciple, too good to be true.

And then, we have all of the blessings that we receive every day.  We can't seem to be thankful for each one of them.  Instead, we go to God, asking for God to make things the way that we want them, for the moment, for the minute that it sounds good.  Instead, God shows us the bright way, but we find the things to make it scary for us.  God shows you the dream job, but your investigation shows that you would have to put in a greater effort.  God shows you the dream house, but your investigation shows that you would have to mow the lawn.  God shows you salvation, but your investigation shows that you would have to follow God.

This Lent, take some time to thank God for all the blessings you have received.  Ask God for courage through every situation in your life, so that you might be able to become the best that you can be.