By Rev. Rhonda Pigott Thorndale
Mark 4: 35-41
I’m sure most of you experienced the violent electrical storm that went through Lake Country last week. From a warm, calm summer evening we were soon surrounded by loud claps of thunder and a spectacular light show. Tom and I were sitting on our deck enjoying each others company, playing our tie breaking game of floor checkers, until we realized this was overhead and it was time to move to the safety of the indoors and comfort our frightened, shaking dogs.
Usually, we would just sit there and watch, but this storm was much stronger. The lightning was violent and managed to ignite a small tree near Pelmawash but thanks to the excellent response of our local fire department it was quickly extinguished. An awesome reminder of what can happen in our natural world… sudden unexpected violence of which we have no control. I wonder if that was what the disciples felt in our scripture reading this morning.
Have you ever tried to get away from the storms of life, only to find that they have followed you? If so, you can understand what happened in Mark 4:35-41 when Jesus needed to get away from the crowds. We are sometimes tempted to follow the crowd, but we need to carefully consider public opinion and walk away when popular opinion isn’t faithful to God’s word. We need to walk away from the crowd so we can spend time alone with God.
Jesus’ idea to cross over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, marked the first time he went into Gentile territory. I have learned from Phiwa Landeni that sitting 690 feet below sea level the Sea of Galilee is the lowest fresh water lake of earth. There are hills surrounding the lake, some as tall as 2000 feet which creates a climate clash where the cool dry air, from the height collide with the warm humid air near the water. When the two meet, the starkly different temperatures and pressures can suddenly create violent storms on the lake. This often results in a dangerous passage with high winds that easily topple small crafts.
On a map of Israel, the sea looks like a large lake, but from a small fishing boat it would look enormous, especially in a storm. At least four of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen, who had survived storms on this sea, and who knew fishermen who were lost at sea. They were strong, self-reliant men who would handle moderate danger as a matter of course. The danger on this evening is not moderate, but deadly.
A short poem by Ian Cowie from Bare Feet and Buttercups
(written from the perspective of the disciples to Jesus)
Another wave like that last one and we’ll have had it!
How can you sleep so peacefully?
Shipwreck stares us in the face!
Our sail can’t hold on much longer
Then the currents will finish us off
My shoulders are aching trying to control this tiller:
My hands are sore struggling with these ropes
While you sleep!
See those rocks?
It’s taking us right towards them.
There’re some good lads died on them –
It will soon be us too.
Come on, Jesus! Get baling. Wake up!
The sea formed a boundary between the Jews and the Gentiles. Even though the sea threatened to undo them, Jesus wanted to cross it because the Gospel is for everyone.
After a long day serving the people, the napping disciples were rudely awakened by the abrupt perfect storm that brewed. They sprang into action to right the boat, and, despite their expertise they were losing the battle against the monstrous waves and ferocious winds. In a panic, they woke Jesus up and the scripture tells us he sternly demanded the monstrous storm to be still. Immediately, the water and the wind stopped its violence.
The real heart of the disciples’ fear was their failure to recognize the true challenges of faith. Faith is not simple. It must involve doubt. It needs strength and courage.
I find that storms often bring out our true spiritual nature. Too many of us want faith to be nice and simple and easy. Faith requires hard work. It involves coming out of ourselves to trust and care. If we lose faith, we lose hope and our ability to care. Fear wipes out faith. Discipleship is a life of faith. Faith is a deep, trust in God’s presence in the world, the church and our lives. When the storms of life occur, we come to the truth of just how deep our faith is.
In much of Jesus’ ministry we hear, he reaches out to the social outcast, he healed those who were hurting in body, mind and spirit. He cared about little things like the embarrassment of a bride and groom who were running out of wine at their wedding. He cared about big things like ten lepers whose illness had banished them from house and home, family and future. We can learn from these stories that Jesus cares for us today. His teachings reach out to anyone who finds himself being swamped by the storms of life. That includes all people.
Jesus told the disciples that they would get to their destination. He did not promise still waters the whole time. The same is true for us. We have been given faith that we help us through our difficult situations. We will encounter problems along the way. We have lived through the storms of life such as death, divorce, relationship breakups, shattered dreams, job loss or being spiritually adrift. When the storms of life hit us, do we declare that Jesus’ promises are null and void, or do we have a faith that will turn the storm into a great calm? When we trust our faith, we gain compassion and control in every storm of life.
As followers of Jesus, we face other storms too, sometimes complex societal storms emerging from systemic injustices and divisive ideologies. A statement in the “Faith and Politics”, from the website of our national church says that “we seek God’s vision for the world where human dignity is defended, creation is mended, and gifts are shared for the good of all.” Like the disciples on that boat, I try to wake up to these ideas.
Sometimes we are like the disciples in this story. We are in the midst of the storms of life, so sometimes we feel abandoned. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Holy is with us in the middle of the storm. When life is difficult, we need to remember that our faith prevails over our fears. The real test involves holding onto this Presence even when it seems still and quiet. Jesus in this story is more concerned with teaching us how to trust in difficult times.
How many of you remember the poem of the footprints in the sand. An old comforting poem written by Mary Stevenson in 1939. This version is the original and the oldest version and the I remember my mom having hung over their bed.
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints.
Other times there was one set of footprints.
This bothered me because I noticed that when I was
Suffering from anguish, sorrow and defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So, I said to the Lord, “You promised me
Lord, that if I followed you,
that you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods
Of my life, there have only been,
One set of footprints in the sand.
The Lord replied,
“The times when you have
Seen only one set of footprints,
Is when I carried you.”
- Mary Stevenson
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Now twenty Centuries later, when we read the ‘Calming of the Sea” story we can think of what the brands of chaos we have in our lives. Everyday, we landlubbers, run into times of distress which sometimes absorbs our last ounce of energy. Storm clouds may gather over our lives and our community. Just think of things that upset that smooth sailing at this moment. It may seem from newscasts and social media that chaos has certainly broken loose and we, like the disciples, are fearful off what is going to happen. Will we all go down with the ship? We the power of the destructive storm finally swamp us? What has happened to the straight sailing of the past? To be truthful, there has never been straight sailing. Each generation has had their problems.
I think God equips us for service in the storms of life. We are guided through the storms by the Bible. It is our compass. When we spend time studying God’s Word, we will find the hope, encouragement, and strength that we need to face the storms of life. With an act of faith and collective effort, we can make a difference. We can call on the Holy Presence to calm the turbulence around us just as Jesus calmed the sea.
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