In this morning’s Gospel lesson, we are told that “there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but He was asleep. The disciples went and woke Him saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
Have you ever felt such desperation in your life? Desperation that you are about to be overwhelmed, swamped, overturned, and sunk by the troubles of whatever you have going on? Maybe it’s deadlines and expectations at school or work. You have to get this done and that done by this time, and nobody else can do it but you, and it must be perfect!
Maybe it’s something that attacks your emotions as you worry about someone else: a loved one is making seriously bad life choices, maybe they are suffering for it, but maybe they are not yet ready to admit it and repent. Maybe a loved one or a neighbor is sick and suffering, and there is nothing you can do to help them.
There are so many things have happened and that can happen, it is difficult to have any peace of mind. We cannot forget about local and international threats which cause us to worry about the future. Taxes, inflation, social upheavals, emboldened criminals, threats from China, North Korea, Russia, threats of war and mass terrorism, plane crashes, the threat of never ending world wide pandemics.
Maybe you yourself have had one disappointment after another: sickness, injury, or other health issues, financial failures, friendships or relationships ended badly or tragically. Maybe these or other things have all happened to you. Maybe all at once or over many years, but they accumulate in our hearts and minds. And each thing individually and collectively threaten to swamp us, capsize us, and drown us in fear and frustration, so that we may be tempted to lose faith. Why do these things happen?
St. Paul tells us in today’s epistle lesson for today, that creation itself is groaning. It is groaning under the weight of the curse of sin, groaning as in childbirth waiting with longing and expectation for the end of this creation and the advent of Christ’s final triumphant return. That is why there are these storms that arise in life. That is why each and every storm that arises is really a spiritual attack.
So it’s no surprise that storms in your life happen– on a daily basis whether you see them feel them, notice them, or not, you are in the midst of a spiritual storm. Sometimes these storms happen in your life just because it’s a sinful world full of human beings! In a sinful world full of sinful human flesh, sinful, dreadful, deathly things happen all the time. Sometimes even as a result of our own personal sinful behavior, things that we just insist on doing end up being harmful to us. Sometimes it is our own sinful behavior that causes those storms. And what do sinful human beings do, right? They hurt others. So maybe we say hurtful things to people or about people as a “defense mechanism”, maybe we justify it because we have been hurt before. That is no excuse. So yes, sometimes the storms in your life happen because you have caused it, sometimes it is because things come upon you outside your own action. However they come, the sinful world, or its prince the devil will use them to actively try to you tear you away from God, as he is trying to prowl on you and devour you, or cause you to be angry at God and turn away.
But consider this, sometimes a peaceful life is not such a great thing either. A life free from any trouble will work against us as well. A peaceful life may tempt a person to simply ignore God and His Word, or even to hear it and dismiss it as unimportant or unnecessary. Or to believe that they surely must be more righteous and loved by God because no tragedy has befallen them… then hypocrisy arises and mercy for those suffering disappears from the mind. And if one has only know easy calms seas, what strength of faith is there when the storms come upon them? Will they remember to whom they should turn?
So in a way, the storms of life, as terrible, frightening, troubling, sorrowing, and trying as they are, can be used by God to bring us back to what is good and right. So that we don’t forget Him or take Him for granted. So that we remember that we should not live for our own plans, our own selfish treasures, so that we are not tempted to worship possessions, people, governments, health, or whatever. So that we learn to depend upon the Lord in humble repentant faith.
This is the lesson of what happened with Jonah, and that is what happened with the disciples. The disciples were shaken in their misplaced faith, and terrified that they were dying and convinced that Jesus did not care. Yet with what faith they could muster, they turned rightly to Jesus for help.
That is how it is for us too. When we finally realize that we cannot handle the problems and threatening storms of this life in the moments that they threaten to destroy us, we are driven to the Lord. We worry that God has forsaken us, but we are driven by desperation to remember the Lord and cry out to Him in hope.
And then God in Jesus Christ answers. “Why are you so afraid? O you of little faith.” When the Lord is saying that. He isn’t belittling the situation of the disciples. He isn’t saying, “danger, what danger?” No, as He spoke to the disciples so He speaks to you and me, when we have let these dangers cause us to fear the danger more than we trust God. “Why are you so afraid? I the Lord your God, love you. I know your needs. I know your situations. Recognize the dangers around you and turn to me and cling to me, right away before you are overwhelmed. You are overwhelmed because you did not trust me and turn to me sooner. I have sent my son, Jesus Christ, to overcome the world, the devil, the flesh, death, and even your own sin. He came to die for those sins, so that your eternal future and life would be secured by the forgiveness of your sin. How would I not also provide peace for you for each day of this life?”
Therefore, look at Jesus, crucified. Look at Him who is raised to show His power over creation; the storms and enemies that rage outside of us and inside of us. Repent of your sin which would overthrow you. Receive His forgiveness. Each day and during the day, pray for strength, wisdom, and peace, and you shall receive it in that moment. Rebuke your thoughts and temptations by saying “Peace, be still, in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Always, remember what the Lord has done for you and continues to do for you. He has purchased you to be His own in Jesus Christ. He has drowned your sins in Holy Baptism. He puts you into the ship of His Church and will guide you safely to the shores upon which waits eternal life. In the meantime, He is here in this ship for you. He is not asleep, but He is ascended and He actively descends to you here in bread and wine with the same precious body and blood that purchased and won you from sin, death, and the power of the devil. This He gives for you to eat and drink and be reminded that He has not nor will He ever abandon you as you cling to Him by faith. Receive His peace. Be made whole. Let him take care of your worries, pains, fears, troubles, trials. And each day, when earthly responsibilities seem to be too much: sigh a little prayer, look to Christ, and say “I will do my best to the Glory of God and He will get me through it one step at a time.” And He will.
Truly we are people who need the Lord in every moment: for our every breath and every blessing. But you know what? As long as we remember that and give thanks to God for that, when troubles come along, God will give us the power to weather them, and we know that He will ultimately deliver us from them whether here on earth or forevermore in heaven. He is ultimately in control over all things. Though we may occasionally groan as we wait for the redemption of our bodies as St. Paul said. the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us at the end. Until then, do not forget Him. Do not lose heart or faith. He has not and will not forget you. He will pilot you, guide, and comfort you through the storms of this life. He has made it so that you will not perish eternally, but that you will live eternally, through Jesus Christ, our loving and peace bringing Redeemer. Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas