At the wheel

"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side.' Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, don't you care if we drown?'

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'

They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'"

Mark 4:35-41

Last night in my women's bible study we dissected this passage for its meaning, its truths, its applications. I am so glad that I went, because this is exactly what I needed to be taught in my moment now.

There are some common things to pull out of this passage but that's not what I'm interested in. I asked what the stern of the boat was, and was surprised it meant the back of the boat. The vision of it: Jesus, at the back of the boat, and asleep. Meanwhile the disciples were attending to the business with all their seasoned skill, to do as He had just commanded: "Go to the other side."

This spoke a lot to me of that cycle I have been going through. God is with me, gives a command. I go about achieving it according to the good and God-given skills and intelligence I have. Meanwhile, the LORD seems to take a backseat in terms of leading, or directing. I have the command; it is my time to run with it. I have the free agency to accomplish it according to my own skills.

Then the storm hits, you know; trouble. What are my problem-solving techniques?

1) Try and control the boat. Another words, I'm still using my skills, my talents, my abilities. Jesus is with me, but so far I haven't included him specifically in the difficulty I am beginning to experience.

2) Call Him "Teacher." I acknowledge God. I confess that He is the one who can help me now that I realize I need it. I have been well taught that He is there with me, and He knows how to help me when I have the need.

3) Ask any question, or make any statement, about God that isn't one of faith. Their choice was "Don't you care?"

How did Jesus consider their good efforts to come to Him for help? He called it "having no faith."

None? That seems kind of extreme. I look back to the disciples' words. They knew plenty about who he was. But the faith was non-existant because they didn't put that knowledge to work at the appointed time of their testing.

How much of what I do is timid to step out of the realm of knowledge, into a place where it is put to work by using it in my hard times?

"Anything not done in faith is sin." rom 14. Jesus rebuked his disciples not because their knowledge was lacking, but because they needed faith! Faith was so much more important to being a sucessful disciple, than knowledge was. Faith is the foundation out of which true knowledge springs forth.

So when I set out with my marching orders, leaving that high place of success with where I am with God, I need to be just simply aware that the difficulty will come as I make my decisions and accomplish my tasks. What is it He wants from me when that time comes? Be prepared now: Jesus wants me to apply myself to exercising faith.