God, Faith and Courage (Part I of III)
For nearly 100 years, the world has been fascinated by the sinking of the Titanic. When I consider this tragic and terrifying story, I always get somewhat caught up in this distressing drama and began to wonder how I would have reached if I had been on the Titanic. Would I have been brave and faced death with faith and courage, or would I have been a coward, like the ship’s owner, and tried to slip onto one of the very few lifeboats that were available, and available only for women, children, and several crew members to operate the boats.
The crises of life have often been compared to stormy seas. They come upon us whether we are ready or not. They terrify us. They knock us around and threaten to destroy all our stability and security.
We don’t know whether we can survive them. And we don’t know how long they will last.
In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, there is a similar story of fear and courage, and even faith, concerning a boat in danger of sinking in a storm.
Mark 4:35-38, That day when the evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took Jesus 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?” Courage and faith can be so fragile that when they are tested they may fail, they may even flee. Yet, faith and courage are inevitably tested in the lives of believers.
Sadly, there are too many people who blame God for allowing tragedy and misfortune in their lives. They feel God is far away and doesn’t care that their lives are in turmoil, that their hearts are breaking or frightened. Like the disciples on that boat surrounded by a violent storm, those in need cry out, “Lord, don’t you care?”
Consequently, far too many turn their backs on God and never again have anything else to do with faith and the holy life. They seldom think to blame Satan for inflicting tragedy and trouble; rather, they blame God for allowing the calamities in their lives.
Next time: Jesus responds to His disciples and the power of God’s love, all considered, in part II of “God, Faith and Courage.”
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Chris Voss is a pastor at First Christian Church, 317 S. Main, Donna.