Why Are You Fearful?
Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:25-26 NKJV
Jesus got into a boat and the disciples followed Him. While on the journey a storm arose and they were all fearful that they were going to perish, and in Mark’s account of this incident they asked Him if He didn't care that they were perishing, Him having been asleep in the boat (Mk. 4:37-38). He awoke and asked them why they were fearful, and I think the disciples were stunned by that question. The boat was already filling with water, the storm was fierce, here was Jesus (probably shouting loud above the noise of the wind and storm) asking them why they were afraid. In our eyes they had all the reason to be afraid; in Jesus’ eyes, they had no reason to be afraid as He was in the boat. Still in a way we can look at them and wonder for real why they were afraid, having Jesus on the boat; however isn't Jesus always in our boat yet we still are fearful when storms rock our boat?
Jesus’ remark of them having little faith was not linked to the fact that they hadn't rebuked the storm, otherwise He’d have asked them, “Why didn't you rebuke the storm, o you of little faith?” He rather pointed out fear in them, which indicated that they would have at least slept like Him and be assured that no matter how fierce the storm was, it wasn't going to harm them. Furthermore it was His mission. We got in a boat with Christ sailing through the sea of life on earth on His mission. We're not told if the disciples expected the storm, and still Jesus rebuked them for being afraid when it showed up. Jesus told us that we should expect storms on our journey with Him (Jn. 16:33), and told us not to be afraid (Jn. 14:1,27). The disciples’ fear arose from the fact that they doubted His care for them (and by extension love), and so does ours. In our lives as believers we can be sure of some things: 1. Storms will come. 2. Fear will knock on our doors often. 3. Jesus is always in the boat with us. 4. He cares for us and loves us. Just because He isn’t panicking with us does not mean He doesn't care for and love us. Just because He's not responding in the way we want Him to doesn't mean that He doesn't care for and love us. 5. His purpose through us will prevail and the mission succeed in spite of the storms if we keep our eyes on Him and see the whole situation as He does, holding on to His love and promises.
Reflection:
Are you in a storm? Knowing that Jesus is in the storm with you, how does your composure while in the storm compare with His? Is He calm while you're panicking, or are you both calm? Why do you think Jesus was and is always calm during storms? Answer: He knows the outcome of the mission (victory and success) in spite of the storms, and sees the big picture, and so should we.
Grace and peace to you!
Jesus got into a boat and the disciples followed Him. While on the journey a storm arose and they were all fearful that they were going to perish, and in Mark’s account of this incident they asked Him if He didn't care that they were perishing, Him having been asleep in the boat (Mk. 4:37-38). He awoke and asked them why they were fearful, and I think the disciples were stunned by that question. The boat was already filling with water, the storm was fierce, here was Jesus (probably shouting loud above the noise of the wind and storm) asking them why they were afraid. In our eyes they had all the reason to be afraid; in Jesus’ eyes, they had no reason to be afraid as He was in the boat. Still in a way we can look at them and wonder for real why they were afraid, having Jesus on the boat; however isn't Jesus always in our boat yet we still are fearful when storms rock our boat?
Jesus’ remark of them having little faith was not linked to the fact that they hadn't rebuked the storm, otherwise He’d have asked them, “Why didn't you rebuke the storm, o you of little faith?” He rather pointed out fear in them, which indicated that they would have at least slept like Him and be assured that no matter how fierce the storm was, it wasn't going to harm them. Furthermore it was His mission. We got in a boat with Christ sailing through the sea of life on earth on His mission. We're not told if the disciples expected the storm, and still Jesus rebuked them for being afraid when it showed up. Jesus told us that we should expect storms on our journey with Him (Jn. 16:33), and told us not to be afraid (Jn. 14:1,27). The disciples’ fear arose from the fact that they doubted His care for them (and by extension love), and so does ours. In our lives as believers we can be sure of some things: 1. Storms will come. 2. Fear will knock on our doors often. 3. Jesus is always in the boat with us. 4. He cares for us and loves us. Just because He isn’t panicking with us does not mean He doesn't care for and love us. Just because He's not responding in the way we want Him to doesn't mean that He doesn't care for and love us. 5. His purpose through us will prevail and the mission succeed in spite of the storms if we keep our eyes on Him and see the whole situation as He does, holding on to His love and promises.
Reflection:
Are you in a storm? Knowing that Jesus is in the storm with you, how does your composure while in the storm compare with His? Is He calm while you're panicking, or are you both calm? Why do you think Jesus was and is always calm during storms? Answer: He knows the outcome of the mission (victory and success) in spite of the storms, and sees the big picture, and so should we.
Grace and peace to you!
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Blessings.