Why Are You Afraid?

Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’ And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A gale arose on the lake, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you of little faith?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?’ Matthew 8:18-27

I get afraid when the storms of life overcome me. I am human, as we all are, and I know too well the dangers that can befall us. I can wonder where Jesus is in these storms and ask why he is sleeping when I am afraid of dying. The disciples were seasoned sailors, with great knowledge of the tides, winds and waves. They were not foolish children, but real experienced adults who knew too well the dangers ahead. Despite their fear, terror and their lack of faith, Jesus calmed the winds and the waves. Jesus is on this boat with us, and despite of fears and lack of faith, will calm the storms of our lives as well.

Wondrous Creator, you breathed on the waters

you put life everywhere on this round earth

giving us peace and calm amidst our storms

and bringing us all home to safe harbors.

We bristle with fear and suspect abandonment

when the storms of life rattle our routines

we forget that you are the master of the sea

and hear our despairing, frightened cries.

Draw near to us, Lord Jesus when we are sinking

restore our calm and our faith in you again

help us to be the calm for others in storms

and let you love bring us all safely home. Amen.