Winds and Water

For Saturday October 13, 2018

‘No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.’

 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.’ But he said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’

 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A gale swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?’ Luke 8:16-25

I saw pictures yesterday of the destruction in Mexico City and Panama City, Florida. The destruction of a category 4 hurricane is horrifying. The people are devastated, home obliterated and many people are unaccounted for. I always wonder why some places and people are spared and others have to face the worst of winds and waves. I have lived through hurricanes, been without power and seen the damage first hand.  I ache for those who have been hardest hit, and wonder out loud in my prayers why they were not spared. We know that many in the path of hurricanes and typhoons are incredibly faithful, strong believers who were praying like crazy through the storm. Yet, even in the midst of the worst, we can trust that God is in the tossing boat with us.

Jesus is teaching great crowds about faith. He tells them that they are his family, even as his biological family is at the door. Then, asleep on board a boat on stormy waters, he demonstrate who he is by calming the wind and waves. Today, I wish he were here calming the real storms of life as well as the storms stirred up by selfish politicians and greedy leaders. Yet God promises to be in the midst of us, on our rocking boats and our shaking sands. We are members of God's family and never far off from healing and redemption.

Today I ask God to help me see the healing and redemption of God in the midst of the storms of life. May we all have faith to see the love of God, even in the midst of great storms and darkness.