Matthew 8:23-27, Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
So, I’ve been going through the book of Matthew and read this very familiar story from Matthew 8. The words “why are you so afraid” jumped off the page. It’s kind of been my personal question to myself these last few weeks. In the story when the disciples cry out, “Lord save us,” rightly understood it is a manic plea from them to Jesus. This is a prayer I have been uttering quite a bit these days.
Jesus uses the word faith when he addresses them and honestly, I thought I had a mature faith but this whole COVID 19 thing has shaken me to the core. I realize and confess that in the absence of faith I can become a bit cowardly. This is a quote from a commentary that I looked at to help me better understand this story. “Faith is often depicted in the gospels as courageous confidence that Jesus is equal to the occasion.”
And obviously he was equal to the occasion. He gets up and rebukes the wind and the waves and it says it was completely calm. In spite of the “little faith” of His disciples he acts. That helps me heaps as I struggle with my own faith in this unprecedented time. I am grateful that in the midst of this furious storm that has come upon us Jesus hears my cry and calms the storm within me (again and again).
We are familiar with the Vine-branch union from the gospel of John (15:5). The fruitful branch is connected to the Vine drawing life from Him. I am finding as a branch I am in definite need of that union with the Vine to live my life in these desperate times. I am praying for you to find this union with Him and that He fills you with His comfort and peace and the gift of faith to deal with any storms you might encounter.