Luke 8:22-25: “One day he and his disciples got into a boat, and he told them, 'Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.' So they set out, and as they were sailing he fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger. They came and woke him up, saying, 'Master, Master, we’re going to die!' Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, 'Where is your faith?' They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, 'Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him!'"
Rip currents are pretty common at the beach. The life guards raise a flag and tell people to stay out of the water. We've heard stories of those who have ignored the warnings and drowned in rip currents.
Rip current warnings signal danger. Danger is a warning, and we respond by going in the other direction. We flee from danger. Yet, what happens when danger finds us? We often respond with fear, panic, and worry.
Sometimes we have time to heed the warning, and then other times, danger is present and we have no choice but to face it…even when the fear and anxiety strike. Our response in the danger matters; in fact, it could mean life or death.
With a rip current, if you are caught in one, your response means everything. They can be deadly; however, they are only deadly if you do not know how to correctly respond in the moment.
In a rip current, the harder you fight the faster you sink.
It is not the current itself that causes you to drown—it is fighting against it that will. When we fight against our circumstances, we wear ourselves down. We become exhausted, unhappy, anxious…fill in the blank. Usually the circumstances we face are far out of our control. Fighting won’t even begin to fix the problem.
The correct response in a rip current is to float.
If we relax, lay back, and rest, our bodies will float. We can wait out the current, or wait for help.
In Luke 8, the disciples were on a ship in the middle of a large lake, not an ocean but a body of water big enough that if the ship were to sink it would surely mean death. In their fear, they ran to Christ, who was sleeping. Why?
Because though they panicked, Christ was at peace.
It can be easy for us to panic when danger comes, how will it end? Will it be ok? What if?
The storms, waves, and currents pulling on you are not outside of God’s control. He is not distant or far away.
Luke tells us that the disciples ran to Jesus and said, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” It seems a bit dramatic for a group of men. But storms can do funny things to our emotions, can’t they? At that moment, however, they knew the only one on the ship who had any hope of figuring it out would obviously be Jesus.
With a word, He stills the storm and sets His eyes on His disciples.
“Where is your faith?” A harsh rebuke it seems to a group of men who followed Him, listened to Him, had even watched Him work miracles. “Where is your faith?”
They had no need to worry because Christ was with them. The disciples had failed to grasp the power of their Master. Their faith was weak. They failed to realize there is no storm or current stronger than our God.
You see, like the current that I mentioned earlier, the harder you fight, the faster you’ll sink. The more firm your faith, the more freely you’ll float.
Faith is what allows us to rest, allows us to lay back and float in the currents, and allows us to endure the storms.
Faith doesn’t mean there will be an absence of trouble, but it does mean that rescue will always come.
I'm not sure what the disciples thought Christ would do when they awoke Him. They surely knew that He could save them. Yet, they marveled at Him; they were amazed that He could calm the storm.
We will have seasons where trials come, storms rage, and the current begins to pull. We can respond in panic, fear, and worry. Or we can float because of faith. We can relax and rest in the truth that Christ is with us and that He is bigger and stronger than the storm.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your goodness and kindness to me. Thank you that even in the hard days, storms, and trials, you speak to the waves. Even when the storm doesn’t calm, it does not take you by surprise, and you will hold me fast in the midst. I can rest my head because you are in control of everything. Thank you, Lord, that I don’t have to dwell in fear but I can rest in you.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/whiteson
Michelle Rabon is helping women be disciples who make disciples. Michelle has her MDiv in Ministry to Women from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently serving as Women’s Ministry Director in her local church. She is also the author of Holy Mess. When she is not writing or teaching, she enjoys reading, being close to the ocean, and drinking a lot of coffee. You can connect with Michelle at www.michellerabon.com
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