Luke 8:22-25

Luke 8:22-25 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

"Where is your faith?" is the question all of us must ask ourselves when we are in the squall. Is our faith in the one who is with us in the boat or is it in the circumstances? It is so easy for me to speak of faith with no squalls in my life. Then my voice is assertive, resounding with a strong testimony. I'll proclaim the "good news" with vigor. But when the storms of life put me in danger, my faith weakens and my voice fades. Instead I start bailing frantically, and fear inundates my thought-life: what might happen to me in the next few hours, days or weeks? Will I survive? I grasp for straws, trying to spy a way out, looking to the horizon for better weather. I look for signs, confirmations, that God is with me in my dire struggle. I pray longer, read the Bible more, fast more, anything to get me out of danger. The disciples that day were desperately seeking for answers to their perilous situation. But Jesus wakes up and questions the disciples' response. “Where is your faith?”

Many times I wonder about my own faith. Do I really believe God is my boat, that He is as close as my breath, or do I believe somehow I have to call him down from heaven when I am in need? A primary New Testament theme is that God is with us. At Christ's birth, the angels proclaimed that God has come down to men. Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11) God came down to us to abide in the boat. Can we believe that? When Jesus awoke, He validated this proclamation by calming the storm. The passage above does not indicate the disciples fell at Jesus' feet in thanksgiving; however, I am sure they were thankful, but the passage emphasizes they wondered, "Who is this?" Who is this that is in control of nature itself? Who is this person who is in the boat with us? Do we know him?

Jesus questioned the disciples' faith that day. Did they really accept his divinity, recognize He was the Messiah? Now we face this quandary. The disciples did not do anything wrong that day; they obeyed Jesus' command to cross over to the other side of the lake. Their boat wasn't floundering because they were in disobedience. No, they were completely under Jesus' authority, yet the squall came up, and they found themselves in great danger. The vicissitudes of life caught up with them. What if Jesus had not awakened? What if they had not called him? Would Jesus still be in the boat? Would He not take care of his beloved disciples? Of course He would have, for He promised never to leave nor forsake his own. He is always with his beloved. We might not think so, but He is in the boat. When you take your last breath on Earth, He is in the boat. Today, Jesus still asks us, "WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?" Who do we believe Jesus is? He calmed the storm to reveal to the disciples that He was in control OF ALL THINGS. Do we believe that or do we believe He is in control only when we are safe, healthy, and prosperous? Do we often find ourselves calling out, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!" The Bible says when we lack faith, we should pray that our faith will be increased. We also need to gather in prayer with other believers when our faith is weak. God is with us; He is in the boat. He rebukes the harsh winds and commands the overwhelming storms, saying, "Peace, be still." (Mark 4:39 KJV)