Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
I think that this is how it always it: Jesus gives to us, then we turn and give what we have been given to others. It is the way of peace and blessing.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Who's in Charge? Mark 4: 35 - 41
Reading again the story of Jesus sleeping in the boat and his response to his students when they wake him up, terrified by the storm, I think that Jesus is telling us, simply, if we trust God, fear should have no part in our lives, no matter how bad things look. I know that this is an incredibly facile thing to say, sitting in my nice, comfortable house, insulated from weather by central air and heat, living in a peaceful neighborhood, served by a local police department, in good health and having a relatively sound mind. But it still seems true to me. We have God as our father. Jesus is in our boat. There is nothing that is going on or will go on that he does not know about and that he cannot handle. His love and provision is perfect. The world may be ruled by the evil one, but we live in the kingdom of God where He reigns.
But there's more. When Jesus is awakened, he sees and hears not only the terror of his students, he sees and hears the storm. The storm is incredibly fierce. The waves are huge, and they are swamping the boat. So what does Jesus do? He COMMANDS the wind and the sea is cease and desist. There is something to do, and he does it. This shows his students then and his students now, the way things are done in the kingdom. When we find ourselves with reason to fear, we meet the situation with faith and confidence that we are children of God who have a Father who loves us and is in control.
I know that it is natural to protest, "Well, Jesus is the Son of God. He has power that we do not have; he can do things that we can't." True - but, didn't Jesus say that his students "anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father"? (Yes, he does - Jn. 14: 12).
I believe we are called to a life of faith that has this firm confidence in God's love, wisdom, provision and competence. It is not that "if we just have enough faith" we can stop every harm. It is not that we believe that there will be no tragedies. In fact, we believe that God let his son die one of the most awful, "unjust" deaths imaginable. It is not that we believe that no harm will ever come to us or our loved ones. God's saints have died every possible way that people die - except, they have never died without hope. But we do believe that Jesus has shown us and made possible for us the way of the kingdom: we know who is in charge. We know Emmanuel, He is with us. We do what we do, call on who we call on, because we live in a new creation where all the old rules no longer apply.
But there's more. When Jesus is awakened, he sees and hears not only the terror of his students, he sees and hears the storm. The storm is incredibly fierce. The waves are huge, and they are swamping the boat. So what does Jesus do? He COMMANDS the wind and the sea is cease and desist. There is something to do, and he does it. This shows his students then and his students now, the way things are done in the kingdom. When we find ourselves with reason to fear, we meet the situation with faith and confidence that we are children of God who have a Father who loves us and is in control.
I know that it is natural to protest, "Well, Jesus is the Son of God. He has power that we do not have; he can do things that we can't." True - but, didn't Jesus say that his students "anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father"? (Yes, he does - Jn. 14: 12).
I believe we are called to a life of faith that has this firm confidence in God's love, wisdom, provision and competence. It is not that "if we just have enough faith" we can stop every harm. It is not that we believe that there will be no tragedies. In fact, we believe that God let his son die one of the most awful, "unjust" deaths imaginable. It is not that we believe that no harm will ever come to us or our loved ones. God's saints have died every possible way that people die - except, they have never died without hope. But we do believe that Jesus has shown us and made possible for us the way of the kingdom: we know who is in charge. We know Emmanuel, He is with us. We do what we do, call on who we call on, because we live in a new creation where all the old rules no longer apply.
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