If you have been following my posts over the last several days, you know that I have been dwelling on this aspect of “Listening” to God. I am convicted by this focus that Jesus is putting in and through my quiet times through Luke. The distractions of life, my sin, and my pride can throw up veils between me and the Lord that make it harder to “Hear” what He has to say about any given moment. What this comes down to ultimately is Faith. Now we come to my reading for today.
And He said to them, [Why are you so fearful?] Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me—in My veracity and My integrity)? And they were seized with alarm and profound and reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him? Luke 8:25 [AMP]
The story is a well-known one where Jesus asks His disciples to take Him across the lake (Sea of Galilee). In obedience they get into the boat and head across the water. The Sea of Galilee is subject to these squalls caused by cold air coming down from the Golan Heights and stirring up with the warm air over the lake because the lake is 700 feet below sea level. The winds slam into the lake from above and then shoot up causing up to 3-foot cresting white caps that could overwhelm a boat like the disciples in short order. Before this squall picks up, Jesus falls asleep in the boat (understandable as He had been teaching all day). They wake Jesus in a panic and notify Him that they are all petrified that they are perishing from the onslaught of the waves. Jesus wakes up and ‘rebukes’ the waves and the storm and all becomes calm.
We then get to the verse above where Jesus questions their faith. “Why are you so fearful?! Where is your faith?!” (My emphasis added). I can just see the look on the disciples faces…probably a quizzical questioning look but also a weighing of what just transpired. This man Jesus just commanded the sea and storm to cease, and it obeyed. “Who is this guy who can command the sea and wind, and they obey?”
Application:
What is most impactful to me in this story is the fact that the disciples did not have an Eternal Mindset…they were immersed in the Earthly Mindset of risks of life (in this case a storm that could have killed them). Remember, Jesus had not died and been raised from the dead yet (conquering death), but the disciples had seen all of these miracles He had done preceding this event. For the disciples, they were not yet understanding the ‘complete control’ Jesus had as God. I am no different. I all too often live in my Earthly Mindset making decisions and worrying about the circumstances and risks of life here on this planet…but God wants me to focus on Eternal Things (link to my Mexico post where I committed to living a life focused on Eternity, not Earthly worries). He wants me to trust that He is in control…in control even in my suffering, sorrow, and pain. All of this life (when dedicated to Him) is a path to Eternal Glory and forever with Him in Heaven. My faith must be active; listening to what He commands and then following through in actually applying what I have learned to my Spiritual walk. I am a child of the King and He knows what is ultimately best for me. I must stay true to Him so that I can be the biggest use to Him while I am still here on this earth.