Lord, Do You Care?
Read the Text: Mark 4
Memorize the Text: If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. (Mark 3:24)
Consider the Text: Mark 4:35-41
The moments of fear often distract us from living in faith. The event of the moment that causes fear often adjusts our perspective, and we begin to gaze through the lens of fear instead of faith. Whatever the storm faced in life, our ability to confront it with faith reflects the maturity of our relationship with Christ. In Mark 4, the author shared a moment like this in the life of the disciples. Mark explained the event when the disciples worried about their life as they engaged in a storm on the seas while Jesus slept in the boat.
The disciples' experience demonstrated the truth that FOLLOWING GOD'S CALLING IS A DIFFICULT ROAD. Nevertheless, the disciples responded to the call of Christ willfully. They readily abandoned what they knew to follow Jesus. The road ahead appeared exciting, but the journey would be difficult. Traveling with Jesus seemed appealing, but the following meant that the storms would come. Each storm would form chaos and test the realness of their commitment to follow Jesus.
We find our faith tested in the moments of storms. Most people enter a relationship following Jesus with excitement. They experience full joy, and then the path of following Jesus becomes difficult and trying. These moments offer an opportunity for us to realize the depth of our faith. We need to identify what storms may force us to lose focus on our following of Jesus.
The arrival of the storms caused the disciples to FORM QUESTIONS OF DOUBT. The disciple started to fear death to the point of questioning their faith to follow Jesus in complete trust. They followed Jesus in faith, but the fear of the moment overcame the faith they began with on the journey. The disciples knew their calling from the Lord but began questioning whether or not the Lord cared for them. They simply desired to know if Jesus cared that they were facing death.
We ask similar questions in moments of fear and storms. We may not ask God if he cares that we are about to die or not, but we ask, "God, where are you?" We have moments of doubting the promises of God and find the path of following him as Master to become overwhelming. This does not mean that we have lost faith; instead, it indicates that we have allowed our faith to become minimized by the fear of the obstacle we face.
Jesus' response to the disciples shows HIS DESIRE TO HELP THE DISCIPLES IDENTIFY THEIR MISPLACED FOCUS. Jesus arose from his nap and commanded the wind and the sea to stop. Jesus calmed the storm and brought peace to the moment. Suddenly, the chaos that brought fear faded to the certainty that rested in the work of Christ. After Jesus calmed the storm, he confronted the disciples. He questioned their trust when he asked the reason they feared. At the same time, he challenged them by asking them why doubt crept in when they had experienced all he had done. Jesus' did not question to hurt the disciples but challenged them to grow.
The Lord works today in similar manners. He challenges our faith in the storm to help us identify where our trust lies in life. He wants us to see when fear blocks our ability to remain faithful and when doubt unsettles us. The working of the Lord in our lives serves as a constant reminder of his faithfulness and evidence of why we can trust him. These moments provide avenues for strengthening our faith.
Facing storms in life should not deter us from following the Lord, but they should serve as opportunities to experience the work of the Lord and grow in our relationship with him. We need to identify the barriers and struggles that cause uncertainty in our trusting of Jesus through every situation. When we engage this story of Jesus calming the storm, we need to ask if we would respond in faith or doubt like the disciples.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
