Dear St. Paul’s Friends & Family,
The sinking feeling of “going it alone” can quickly set in when life isn’t going well, or things aren’t going as we’ve planned. Feelings of loneliness or abandonment often leads us down the dark path where we are welcomed by anxiety, anger, despair, and other life-consuming emotional beasts that can lurk in the inner shadows of our being. As one faithful church member has reminded me on more than one occasion, “We’ve never been promised a rose garden!” Adversity happens as life’s storms arise on the horizon. But one thing that we never are, is alone.
God has created us for community. We are surrounded by relationships: family, friends, acquaintances, the church, and even strangers who are with us on life’s journey. Their presence can be like manna in the desert during those times of adversity, nourishing us in spirit and in action and never leaving us alone. The disciples in today’s reading were not alone in that storm tossed boat. They were together and most importantly, Jesus was right there with them. He was sleeping like a baby being rocked in the cradle as his boat churned in the angry sea. In terror and in need of a miracle, the disciples awaken him. Jesus calmed the storm even as he seemed more annoyed at being awakened than relieved that they were saved.
Faith is not so much about belief as it is the knowledge that we can trust someone and depend upon them. Once Jesus calmed the storm, he wondered why the disciples were afraid. He doesn’t wait for their reply, but wonders aloud, “Have you still no faith?” Despite Jesus being beside them in the boat with them, his traveling companions still doubted that he would save them.
We could be excused for having a similar slip of faith, after all, Jesus isn’t physically right beside us. We could be justified in feeling fearful and alone. However, God’s story doesn’t end with Jesus and the disciples in a boat. Christ promised us life-long companionship with the Holy Spirit. In other words, we are never alone because God is always with us. As the storms of life buffet our personal boats of predictability and stability, have faith that you can call upon God and that God is by your side. Just as surely as you can trust in God, God also has faith in you! May this interplay of faith draw you closer to God and to your fellow sojourners in faith.
Peace,
Pastor Matt
June 19, 2021
0 Comments